April 22, 2002 News Flash! Four Whoopers Home at Necedah! Four Whoopers Share Space with Two OM Sandhill Cranes April 19, 2002 in Wisconsin. Four eastern whoopers at home again on Rynearson Pond at Necedah NWR April 19, 2002. WCEP. Touch Down AND Home Run! Four of the migrating whooping cranes from the Florida Five landed at Necedah at 6:37 Friday evening, April 19. They completed their journey north after leaving Chassahowitzka NWR 11 days earlier, and their arrival is worthy of a celebration in your classroom today! Headwinds and cloud cover made poor migration weather on Friday, April 19, but the group of four was determined to make it home. Here's tracker and crane biologist Richard Urbanek's report of the final day: "The birds made two short flights (1120-1222, 1232-1247), both northerly, stopped to forage in grassland along a wetland in southwestern Green Lake County, and then took flight again at 1329. They continued flying slowly northward under a low ceiling of almost complete cloud cover. At 1500, when they were in northeastern Green Lake County, clearing was occurring to the west. As the sun appeared and the sky cleared, the cranes abruptly changed course direction and proceeded westward on a direct bearing for Necedah NWR. They crossed into Marquette County at 1540 and as they flew west they moved slightly north into Waushara County. They crossed into Adams County at 1711. They landed at Necedah NWR, Juneau County, Wisconsin, at 1837." The Fabulous Four flew a total of 6.4 hours and covered 93 miles on day 11, their final migation day. Here they are! Read more exciting details, hear audio clips, and see photos in tomorrow's regularly scheduled whooping crane report! The Next Crane Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 23, 2002. Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form