Journey North Whooping Cranes

The FIRST group to fly south with the Ultralights!
Banding Codes and Life Histories:

All chicks are identified by leg bands. All have radio telemetry attached to a green/white band on the left leg above the hock and a metal USFW band on the right leg below the hock. Each crane's individual color bands are also on the right leg, above the hock. The banding color codes by each crane below can help trackers (or you) identify the cranes. Read the colored bands on the right legs from top to bottom.

History: Spring 2002: Returned to Necedah in the group of four who survived the winter, arriving April 19, 2002 after leaving Florida April 9. Paired up with Crane #2 for the summer, hanging around the training site where the 17 new 2002 chicks were being trained to fly with the ultralight.
Fall 2002: The pair of #101 and #102 astonished the pilots by showing up and joining with the ultralight chicks and plane on November 24 as the fall migration covered Tennessee. These two adult cranes flew five miles with their old stand-in parents and the Class of 2002 before breaking off to continue on their own! Spent the 2002-03 winter in Pasco County, Florida (about 20 miles north of the release pen) with Crane #102.
Spring 2003: Left Florida on 25 March, 2003 with Crane #102 to migrate north—ahead of any of the tiny Eastern flock. Arrived at Necedah on March 31 and spent the 2003 summer there. He and female #102 separated in spring 2003 after being together since migrating north on their own in spring 2002. Fall 2003: Headed south by himself on November 7, 2003, and was reported back at his wintering spot in Pasco County, Florida on November 16.
Spring 2004: Left on spring migration March 13 or 14, 2004 together with #102, 205, 208, 216, and 217. PTT readings indicated the group roosted in SW Indiana on March 22, but moved to DeKalb County, IL March 23 and stayed for the rest of the week. Arrived Necedah NWR on April 1, 2004. Male #101 Left the other birds and went to the refuge area where he lived in summer 2003.
Fall 2004: He remained at or near Necedah NWR until Nov. 28, when he left with Crane #202. The two remained with large numbers of sandhill cranes in frozen, flooded farm fields in Jasper County, Indiana, until December 16. Then they moved to nearby Jasper-Pulaski SWFA. They resumed migration Dec. 17. On December 18th they were tracked to roost with approximately 100 sandhills in Monroe County, Kentucky. They completed their migration Dec. 20, arriving in Pasco County, FL. This is the same wintering location used by #101 during his previous two winters. He shows signs of pair-bonding with female #202, who is one year younger.
Spring 2005: Pair 101 and 202 left their Florida winter location on March 12 or 13. Confirmed back at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin by March 29. They established a territory on the refuge. They remained on their territory except on April 15, when they spent much of the day away. But on 16 April 16, #202 was sitting as if incubating in the pair's marsh territory. On April 17 the two birds left and spent the day in farmland south of the refuge. A check of the nest site indicated that one egg had been laid, but it had apparently been destroyed during the previous night. (It is quite common for first-time breeders to leave the egg unprotected). The pair did not return to the refuge until April 21. They stayed the summer on or near their territory at Necedah NWR.
Fall 2005: Breeding pair #101 and #202 began migration November 17 along with #208. On Nov. 30, #101 and his mate #202 returned to the same Citrus County, Florida area where they wintered at last year.
Spring 2006: #101 (and mate #202) left on migration from Citrus County, FL on March 12. They arrived at Wisconsin's Necedah NWR on March 18, where they settled on their old territory. They began incubating on April 7, but the eggs were lost to a predator by April 16.
Fall 2006: #101 and #202 began migration from their territory on Wisconsin's Necedah NWR on November 11. They made it to northeastern Illinois (probably Will or Kankakee County). The pair resumed migration on 12 November and continued with sandhills to Jasper-Pulaski SFWA, Indiana. Arrived Citrus County, FL on Nov. 23!
Spring 2007: Reported migrating on March 13 with his mate, #202. He was confirmed back at Necedah NWR on March 26. He was seen alone the next two days. Where is his mate, #202? By summer she was still missing and presumed dead. The refuge helpers and pilots said #101 seemed sad and lonely. He showed up often at the training site to watch and hang out with the 2007 chicks-in-training. He flew with the ultralight and chicks a few times but the pilots had to chase him off so the chicks would pay attention to their costumed parents.
Fall 2007: Began migration from Wisconsin on November 22, 2007. Stayed at Jasper-Pulaski FWA in northwestern Indiana until departing again on November 29. Wintered in Florida.
Spring 2008: The first bird from the first year of the reintroduction was the first of the flock to arrive in spring 2008! He left Florida on February 29. Flying between 45 and 50 miles per hour, he covered 230 miles and roosted that night in Georgia. He arrived at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin on March 14, all by himself. Male 101 remained on his territory on Upper Rice Pool, Necedah NWR, through March 30. On April 1 he was displaced from his long-held territory by #307 (who was temporarily with female W601). Male #101 then moved off the Refuge to the Mill Bluff area of Wisconsin. He occasionally returned to his former territory on Upper Rice Pool.
Fall 2008: Began migration from Necedah NWR on November 15, as did several other first cranes to leave. Wintered in Citrus County, Florida.
Spring 2009: Began migration from Citrus County, Florida, on March 5. Reported back at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin by March 19! He spent the summer unpaired with any female (see Spring 2008, above).
Fall 2009: Crane #101 was observed on Necedah NWR, Juneau County, Wisconsin, on December 4 and likely began migration on the following day. He was reported with 3 sandhills on his winter area Citrus County, Florida, on December 23.
Spring 2010: His nonfunctional transmitter was replaced on February 25 when he was still at Chassahowitzka NWR. Now he is trackable! Male #101 began northward migration March 20 and was detected back on Necedah NWR on March 24.

Fall 2010: Male #101 was detected at his usual wintering location in Citrus County, Florida, during an aerial survey on December 3.
Spring 2011: He apparently began migration on March 8. He was reported back at Necedah NWR in Wisconsin March 21. By the end of May he was occasionally associating with female #914. The two were still together the end of August.
Fall 2011: A crane believed to be male #101, with a crane that might have been his new mate #914, was observed on a pond at his wintering location in Citrus County, Florida, by a neighborhood mother and 12-year-old son on December 5. They had been watching for #101 to return to his usual area. The landowner believes #101 has been coming to the same area for about 5 years. "He used to crack us all up in the neighborhood. The first couple of years the trackers would remove him and relocate him to more suitable habitat with more cranes. He kept coming back here! He likes the Sandhill cranes, especially one certain pair. He chases any others away, including the young ones of the pair. He mostly stays across the street from our home, on a neighbor's property where there's a big pond. When he returns, he flies right over us and calls loudly to announce his arrival. We very much love that Crazy Crane!"

Spring 2012: Male #101 and and his mate #914 (14-09) were still in Citrus County, FL as of March 1, 2012. Tracker Eva Szyszkoski (ICF) reported them back at their Wisconsin summering territory in Juneau County on March 23. They had probably arrived March 22. The pair built a nest but did not lay any eggs in the 2012 breeding season. They were together on their territory all summer, fall and winter.

Wnter 2012: Male #101 and and his mate #914 (14-09) wintered in Citrus County, Florida—this male's usual wintering spot.

Spring 2013: Male #101 and and his mate #914 (14-09) completed spring migration to Wisconsin on March 29.

Fall 2013: Male 1-01 and mate 14-09 migrated south to Citrus County, Florida for the winter.

Spring 2014: Crane pair 1-01/14-09 began migration from Citrus County, Florida, on 14/15 March. They were reported in Bartow County, Georgia, on 16 March and Larue County, Kentucky, on 21 March. They were back in Wisconsin by May, but male #1-01 chose a poor place to hang around; he was captured at the Volk Field National Guard Base in Juneau County on May 28.
On May 28, 2014, male 1-01 was removed from the population of the new Eastern Migratory Flock because of his repeated and uncorrectable behaviors, which caused hazards to him and also to aircraft using the Volk Field National Guard Base. He will live the rest of his life in safe captivity at Zoo New England in Boston, Massachusetts.

Crane #2: (102)
Gender: Female
Banding Code: a single red band. PTT
Personality Characteristics: Largest female. Often aggressive and will sometimes challenge the handlers. Has a damaged beak from injury—the upper and lower mandibles do not meet at the tip. This makes her recognizable in the air where she is often in the lead position. Tends to attack the vet. Voice is starting to change to adult voice. "Alarm" calls with slight crackle. Sometimes drops back to fly on Deke's wing.

History: Spring 2002: Returned to Necedah in the group of four, arriving April 19, 2002 after leaving Florida April 9. Paired up with Crane #101 for the summer, hanging around the training site where the 17 new HY 02 chicks were being trained to fly with the ultralight. Pilots and "swamp monster" drove them off many times. Fall 2002: Astonished the pilots by showing up with #101 and joining with the ultralight chicks and plane on November 24 in Tennessee. They flew five miles before breaking off to continue on their own! Spent the 2002-03 winter in Pasco County, Florida (about 20 miles north of the release pen) with Crane #101. Spring 2003: Left Florida on 25 March with Crane #101 to migrate north—ahead of any of the Eastern flock in spring 2003. (As of March 8, 2003, her radio transmitter and PTT had both stopped functioning so she is no longer trackable.) Confirmed back at Necedah on March 29/April 1, 2003, along with Crane #101 from her cohort. These two separated later in spring 2003; they had been together since migrating north on their own in spring 2002. Fall 2003: She left Necedah on Nov. 13, along with seven of the 2002 birds. This group of eight arrived at the pen site at Chassahowitzka November 21, 2003. During their entire journey south, the group stayed together and was never seen migrating with Sandhill cranes. This group moved to Pasco County shortly after arriving in FL. Together with four other birds, she split from the group and moved to the same area of Pasco Cty. where she spent last winter with male #1 from the 2001 cohort. Spring 2004: Left on spring migration March 13 or 14, together with 101, 205, 208, 216, and 217. PTT readings indicated the group roosted in SW Indiana on March 22, but moved to DeKalb County, IL March 23 and stayed for the rest of the week. Arrived Necedah NWR on April 1, 2004 but later spent time in Jackson County and elsewhere. Returned to Necedah May 18, where she is hanging out with #208.
Fall 2004: The pair #102 and #208 began migration from Necedah NWR on Dec. 1st. Checked and confirmed near the intersection of Will, Grundy, and Kankakee Counties, Illinois, on Dec. 14th. Detected in flight just east of Decatur, Alabama on the afternoon of Dec. 23rd. They arrived at the winter pen site on the afternoon of Dec. 30th. #102 is showing signs of possible pair-bonding with younger male #208. Spring 2005: #102 and #208 departed on migration from Pasco County, Florida on March 19 and were back at Necedah on March 31! The pair broke up back at Necedah as soon as they finished migration. In fall, #102 let the DAR chicks hang out with her. Will she help these new chicks learn their migration route?
Fall 2005: Began migration November 17 with #212. They later joined whoopers #203 and#317, and #301 and #311 in flight. They roosted on a pond in Will County, Illinois. The group migrated Nov. 18 to a point SW of Indianapolis, Indiana. They remain in Marion County, IN since Nov. 26. The pair arrived on a ranch in Pasco County, Florida on December 22. They hung out with #105, #204, #208, #205 and #313, particularly on roost at night. They were often with or near large groups
of migratory sandhill cranes.

Spring 2006: Crane #102 (together with #208 and #212) began migration from a cattle ranch in Pasco County, Florida on February 28. They were reported in Greene County, Indiana, from March 7-12. Crane #102 and #212 arrived at their Wisconsin summer home March 18 or 19 and are on territory. Then #102 left #212 on March 25. She was confirmed in Adams County, WI April 17 in the same general area where she was found in April of 2005.

Fall 2006: Left Wisconsin on Nov. 19 and made it to Indiana that night. After she arrived in Florida, she stayed at the Chassahowitza pen site until December 27 but then left for other winter territory in Citrus County.

Spring 2007: Began migration March 5 (with #216). They were confirmed back at the Wisconsin refuge on March 26, but separated. (On that day, Crane #102 was unison calling and doing territorial behavior with #307, who was one of the first arrivals back on the refuge.) After the new "Class of 2007" ultrralight chicks arrived in Wisconsin,#102 showed up almost daily at the chicks’ pen site.

Fall 2007: Began migration from Wisconsin on November 22, 2007. Found at Greene County, Indiana, on November 24. Still present when last
checked at the end of December.

Spring 2008: apparently began migration from Green County, Indiana, on March 2. She was confirmed back at Necedah NWR, on March 23.

On October 12, 2008 the decomposed remains of #102 were found near the edge of a marsh on Necedah NWR. She was likely killed by a predator. She had been in the area all spring, unlike previous years when she usually spent spring in nearby Adams County. She was frequently observed until mid-July. At that time, pair #211 and #217 moved in on her from their usual territory during changes due to construction on the refuge. The pair drove #201 off her territory. Experts think her death happened shortly after pair #211/217 displaced her to a nearby marsh. Tracking data are being examined to determine approximate date of death.

Crane #3: (103)
Gender: male
Banding Code: white/red/green
Personality Characteristics: A good bird in that he was unremarkable and no problem.

History: Died in October 2001 wind storm during first journey south. The pen was knocked down by high winds and the escaped bird hit a power line while flying in the dark.

Crane #4: (104)
Gender: Male
Banding Code: red/white/green
Personality Characteristics: Also has a funny beak, though not as funny as #102. Has recovered from earlier training wing injury. Can fly well but has a bad habit of dropping out of the formation and encourages Crane #106 to leave too. Not allowed to fly again on the first migration south due to this behavior and the fear he would lead other birds astray. Travels in a shipping container to each site but spends the remainder of each day and night with his flock mates. The flight team hopes this bonding will help him fly north with the flock in spring

History:. Killed December 17, 2001 by a bobcat after being on the Chassahowitzka wintering grounds just a few days.

History: Spring 2002: Returned to Necedah in the group of four, arriving April 19, 2002 after leaving Florida April 9. Migrated to Florida in fall 2002 and spent the winter in the pen at Chassahowitzka with the new 2002 chicks that migrated in year two of the ultralight project. He turned into a bit of a bully.
Spring 2003: Departed Chassahowitzka with the sixteen 2002 chicks on spring migration April 1. He stayed with several of the 2002 chicks throughout the migration north. Spent summer 2003 about 10-12 miles from Necedah, in the company of three 2002 females (#204, #209, and #218) and returned to the Refuge the last week in October 2003.
Fall 2003: Trackers found him flying with younger cranes #204 and #218 on Nov. 20, 2003 while the birds were in flight over Georgia. In an unusual event, they flew after dark, roosting in SW Georgia. On November 21, 2003, these three landed at the pen site at Chassahowitzka. They later flew to Hernando County, but returned on Jan. 8, 2004 to the pen site. They settled in and harassed the Class of 2003 chicks in the pen, defending and taking over a feeding station! After Crane #214 showed up at the pen site on Feb. 7, 2004, the three older birds already there did more unison calling and chased her, too.
Spring 2004: Left on spring migration March 27, 2004, together with #218 and #204. They were tracked and landed to roost in Crisp Cty, GA nearly 9 hours later. Stopped overnight in Indiana April 1. Confirmed back at Necedah (with #204 and #218) on April 7, 2004.
Fall 2004: Reported at Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County, TN Nov. 10 and remained there (in bad weather) until at least Nov. 24. Observed at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, Florida on Nov. 26. Checked in at the pen site but moved on after finding nobody home and no free food. Together with Crane #204, he remained on a cattle ranch in Hernando County, FL until Dec. 17, when the pair returned to the pen site at Chassahowitzka NWR. These two have been together since #204's first spring migration. Will they become mates?
Spring 2005: Left Chassahowitzka pen site in Florida, along with #204 and the remaining chick #412 on March 30. No aggression by the two older cranes toward the younger one, reported ICF trackers who observed the trio at their first night roost in Georgia. On April 5 the two adults left juvenile #412. On April 6, #105 and #204 completed migration to Mill Bluff State Park, Juneau County, Wisconsin. On April 7 the pair moved to their territory on Necedah NWR.
Fall 2005: On Aug. 22, Cranes #105 and #204 moved from their territory on Sprague Pool (Necedah NWR) to Mill Bluff State Park, WI. This was the first movement from their territory since May 20. They stayed in the park and were often with other whooping cranes in the area. The pair began migration on November 21. They were seen at their last year's winter home on a ranch in Hernando County, FL on Nov. 27. They continued to the chick pen at Chassahowitzka NWR but left Nov. 30, returning to their former ranch site. The pair returned to Chassahowitzka Dec. 14 from nearby Stafford Lake and remained to roost at the pen site. They moved around a bit, staying in nearby counties, and were on a Pasco County ranch with a few other whoopers by end of December.
Spring 2006: Began migration (with #204) March 20-22. No reports received during migration. They were found back on their territory on Necedah NWR, on April 6.

Fall 2006: Left Wisconsin on Nov. 19 (with #204 and #205) and made it to NE Illinois. Found in Hernando County, FL on Nov. 24 with #204. He appeared alone at the Chassahowitzka pen site on Jan 8 and stayed. His mate, #204, was found dead on Jan. 16, 2007 in Hernando County.

Back in a Pen! The winter of 2007, #105 was a regular visitor to the pen site, as though keeping watch over the chicks. After the death of his mate and the Feb. 2 storm deaths of the 17 chicks at the pen site, he kept dropping in on "Peepers," a captive female whooping crane at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Was he looking for a new mate, or a free lunch? The team captured #105 on Feb. 1 and moved him to a pen with a top net at the Halpata Preserve until they can figure out what to do with him. Guess who's in the pen next to him at Halpata? Survivor chick #615, also taken there for his safety. Some people are calling the two cranes Flirty and Maverick. Guess which is which?

Freedom Again. On Feb. 23, 105's radio transmitter's broken antenna was replaced. Two days later, Dr. Richard Urbanek (USF&W) and Sara Zimorski (ICF), co-chairs of the Tracking & Monitoring Team, released #105 from the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve and he was taken to the Paynes Prairie area for release. He remained there with several other Whooping cranes that were currently stopping there. (Before #105's release, the two captive birds at Homosassa State Park were removed from open display just in case he decided to re-visit that location in search of food or a lady friend.)

Spring 2007: Began migration on March 28 with #519. They were in Georgia on March 29. They arrived Apr. 16 on #105's old territory at Wisconsin's Necedah NWR!

Fall 2007: Began migration from Wisconsin on November 21. Arrived on Hiwassee WR in Tennessee, on November 24. Arrived at Chassahowitzka NWR pen site in Florida, on November 28. Moved to Stafford Lake, Hernando County, on the following day. He was the third bird of the Eastern flock to complete fall migration. Returned to Chass pen site Dec. 12 but moved to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park on Dec. 13 because he was attracted to the resident female crane on display there — just like last winter! Trackers immediately captured him and took him to the pen site at Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve. Three days later they transported #105 to Hiwassee WR in Meigs County, Tennessee, because almost all unpaired females in the Eastern flock were there. He was still at Hiwassee (Tennessee) at the end of December. Everyone hopes he'll choose a "girlfriend" from among those females so he doesn't go back to the female who lives in captivity at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park! When observed in late winter, he was associating with #420.

Spring 2008: Male #105 and female #420 were reported in a flock of sandhills in Warren County, Kentucky, from March 6 until they resumed migration on March 8. Confirmed home at Necedah NWR March 30, but trackers reported on April 8 that the pair bond established during the winter between 105 and 420 had dissolved; they separated during or at the end of migration. On April 10 male #105 was seen with female #501. They occasionally returned to the territory of #105 on Sprague Pool.

Fall 2008: Left Necedah NWR Nov. 20 with mate #501. The pair arrived together at Hernando County, Florida by December 27. Both had nonfunctional transmitters and could not be tracked. The pair was observed at the Chassahowitzka NWR pensite January 18. On January 20 they appeared at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, where two captive Whooping cranes live. They were captured and transferred (again!) to the Marion County Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve pen site. Their old transmitter batteries were replaced on January 21, 2009. The pair were then crated, transported, and released in Alachua County, FL on January 22. They returned to Hernando County January 30 only to reappear at the Chass pen site the following day — and found the Class of 2008 had arrived! The next morning, February 1, they returned to the Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park and were again captured and transported to the Halpata pen site. This time they were taken to Meigs County, Tennessee, where they were released on February 4.

Spring 2009: Cranes #105, 501, 506, and DAR 37-07 were confirmed by radio signal near Armstrong Bend, Tennessee on March 8. Male #105 was confirmed back at Necedah (with mate #501) by the end of March or beginning of April. As far as experts can tell, this is #105's first nesting, even though he's often been paired during breeding seasons before. The nest failed on April 24 before the eggs could hatch. The pair remained together in the area all summer, but their pair bond ended after September 26 when #316 stole 105's mate away from him. Crane #105 found himself alone again — but only until October 26 when #105 returned to him two days after leaving #316!

Fall 2009: Together again, #105 and his previous mate, #501, began migration Nov. 26 and were found at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee, on November 29. They stayed six weeks. The pair landed in February at their old pen site at Chass, where the new chicks live. The trackers dreaded seeing #105 show up. Why? He has a history of going to the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to visit the captive Whooping crane pair there. Last year, he took #501 there with him. For trackers, that event would mean they must AGAIN capture and relocate this male (and his mate). Trackers hope he won't try a visit to Homosassa Springs Park again this year!


Preening on Florida wintering grounds	Pair #105 and #501 unison calling in Florida before a bobcat killed her in March 2010	Red crown!
Photos: Eva Syszkoski, ICF

Spring 2010: Adult pair #105 and #501 and the nine remaining chicks at Chass were beginning to show signs of migration restlessness on March 13. Eva said, "We are not sure if the adult pair will entice the chicks to leave earlier then they would otherwise. We would expect#105 and #501 to be leaving at any time, as they will want to get back to Necedah NWR to establish their territory on the refuge for nesting season. It was a sad discovery when the remains of his mate #501 were found at a roost site. She had been killed by a bobcat there the night of March 18. Male #105 left the Chass pen area on migration on March 27! He was alone, and was tracked on day one to Colquitt County, GA by Matt. The trackers will need to turn their attention now to the chicks, but #105 was off to a good start. On April 1 he was detected back on his territory at Sprague Pool, Necedah NWR! He was with female #914 during the summer.

Fall 2010: Male #105 was found at Hiwassee WR in Tennessee on November 28, where he remained at least through Dec. 2. He was next reported in Hernando County during an aerial survey on December 21. He roosted at the Chassahowitzka pen site on January 7. But on January 8, 2011 this 9-year-old male once again dropped in on the female crane called Peepers, who lives at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida. He can't seem to stay away from her. So he was captured and removed from the wild. Now he will live in captivity with Peepers at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in Florida. The park houses animals for display and education. Here's a summary from when the trouble began:

Photo: Eva Szyszkoski

Male 105 had been looking for love since winter 2007, when his first mate was found dead on the pair's Florida wintering grounds. He kept dropping in on "Peepers," a captive female whooping crane at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. In 2009, he lost a second soulmate when a bobcat killed her. Still, he remembered Peepers. But each time flew to the park (SIX times in all!), he had to be captured and removed for the safety of park visitors and also himself. On some visits he even landed in the bears' enclosure! With his January 2011 visits, WCEP leaders knew they had to change things. They decided to remove nine-year-old #5 from the wild population for three reasons: his repeated visits to Peepers and the trouble he caused for the tracking crew and at Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park; his lack of breeding success; and the large number of male cranes already in the flock's wild population.

#5 (now called "Levi") and Peepers in June 2011
Photo: Susan Lowe

"He must really love Peepers," said Eva, the tracker who often had to capture and relocate #5. Now he will get to stay with Peepers. Because #105 is totally healthy, experts feel he will form a better bond with Peepers than Peepers had with Rocky*, the male companion crane in the enclosure with her until now. Crane #105 will now be known as "Levi" and will take Rocky's place with Peepers. "Crane 105 looks great and is happy to be allowed with Peepers. It seems the feeling is mutual,” reported Wildlife Care Supervisor Susan Lowe.

*Rocky is a friend — but not a mate. A throat condition makes it hard for Rocky to make crane calls, and crane calling is an important part of bonding for Whooping crane pairs.

Crane #6: (106)
Gender: Male
Banding Code: red/green/red
Personality Characteristics: Dropped out of the flight on the first day with Crane #104 but managed to complete the flight after much effort from pilots Deke and Bill. Also dropped out of the flight between sites 10 and 11 and was finally retrieved the next day.

History: Spring 2002: Returned to Necedah in the group of four survivors, arriving April 19, 2002 after leaving Florida April 9. Migrated south in Fall 2002 and stayed at Hiwassee Refuge in Tennessee for several weeks before finishing his migration. Arrived in Florida January 4, 2003, briefly joining sandhill cranes and female Crane #107 in Madison County Florida before moving a few miles away from them. He departed Madison Co. FL on Feb. 15, 2002 and was seen flying over southern Georgia among a flock of Sandhill cranes. Trackers lost him until he was spotted by ICF Intern Colleen Satyshur on March 26, 2003 in Dodge County, Wisconsin. Colleen said: "After so many reports coming in from birders and refuge biologists, it was exciting to finally confirm the sightings of #106. I followed #106 south in the fall, so it was like old times tracking him again." Then his radio antenna broke so he could not be tracked. After departing Necedah Refuge on May 10, 2003, wasn't seen again until the last week of October. He was back at Necedah, and left on fall 2004 migration on November 7. He was staging with sandhill cranes in Columbia County, WI on Nov. 19, and was seen again arriving late on Nov. 20 at the Jasper Pulaski State Fish and Wildlife Area in north Indiana. He showed up Jan 3, 2004 in Alachua County, FL. Spring 2004: He left Alachua Cty. FL on Feb. 23, 2004 and his location, as well as female #107's, was unknown until March 9, 2004. He was seen migrating over Gainesville, FL with a flock of sandhill cranes. March 13 he was observed in a flock of 21 sandhills migrating through Monroe County, Indiana. On March 18 a whooper (#106) was spotted flying east to west over Interstate 94 at mile marker 141---on a day when it was snowing gangbusters at Necedah NWR. On March 21 and 22, #106 was confirmed back in Wisconsin, the first to return in spring 2003 AND spring 2004. He stayed in Jackson County in summer 2004.
Fall 2004: Began migration from southeastern Clark/northeastern Jackson Counties, Wisconsin, on November 21. He was spotted on a cattle ranch in Lake County, Florida, on December 13. He remained there with migratory sandhill cranes as well as some of the non-migratory Whooping cranes that live there year round. In February he moved to Levy County and then to Alachua County, with migratory sandhill cranes. Spring 2005: A crane believed to be #106 was reported with migrating sandhill cranes in Meigs County, TN on 7 March. Local residents of Jackson County, Wisconsin reported observing him since March 30. He was seen paired and nest building with a sandhill crane on April 9. (He has associated mainly with sandhill cranes. The small size (five returning birds) of this 2001 cohort resulted in limited chances for social bonding with other whooping cranes by the first individuals (#107 and #106) to separate from the group. When checked on 22 April, #106 was found hidden and alone in a wet area in the edge of a woods near his territory. He had fractured his left tarsus sometime between April 12 and 22. Because he was unable to bear weight on the fractured leg, he remained secluded in woody cover and was not roosting in water. The monitoring team watched him closely through a spotting scope. They wanted to see if supplemental food could be provided without disturbing the bird or attracting predators (wolves, coyotes). In some cranes, fractures have healed without human intervention. They all hoped #106's leg would heal by itself. He was last observed alive on April 29. On May 3, 2005 crane #106 was found dead in a wetland at the edge of a wooded area in Jackson County, Wisconsin. He had been killed by a predator, most likely within 2 days before his remains were discovered. This was the 9th death among 53 birds released during the first 4 years of the reintroduction. Six of those mortalities happened within 2004-2005.

History:
Spring 2002: Left Florida April 12 in the flock of 5 survivors, but split off over Tennessee to continue the migration all by herself. She was last to arrive back at the Necedah site: May 3, 2002. She spent the 2002 summer about 75 miles from Necedah, in the company of sandhill cranes. Fall 2002: She was the first of this group to migrate to Florida, arriving at her old pen November 22. She moved and lived with sandhill cranes in Madison County, Florida for the winter. Spring 2003: She left Florida sometime between Feb. 18 and March 1, 2002. She returned for summer 2003 to her favorite place at Wisconsin's Horicon National Wildlife Refuge. Fall 2003: She was identified November 16 at Hiwassee Refuge in TN, and again (still at Hiwassee) Nov. 21, along with female crane #201. Spring 2004: She was not seen again until March 12, 2004, when the Kaldenbachs of Roane County, TN reported a sighting and sent a photo to Operation Migration (see our News Flash.) She has a nonfunctional transmitter so cannot be tracked. She seems to like playing hide and seek! Identified by her color bands with 4 sandhill cranes in Starke County, Indiana (near the Jasper-Pulaski State Wildlife Area) on March 26, 2004. Seen on March 27 with sandhills in Cook County, Illinois. Confirmed "home" April 11, 2004 at Horicon Refuge in Wisconsin, where she spent the two previous summers. She remains un-trackable because of a dead battery in her transmitter. Fall 2004: On Nov. 8 the elusive, untrackable #107 was found— thanks to the radio signal of crane #418 detected in flight. As the airborne tracking team observed #418 amid a flock of sandhill cranes, they also noticed another Whooping crane—#107—in the flock! Young #418, who was unable to make the first migration with his ultralight flock, had joined up with these other migrating cranes. However, again, as roost time neared, 418 landed along the Cumberland River in Tennessee, while 107 continued slightly farther downstream. Both stayed at their selected locations on Nov. 9th due to poor migration conditions. Crane #107 was at Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County, TN on Nov. 10, with several other "ultra-whoopers" from the new Eastern flock. On Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge with a wintering Sandhill flock most of the winter, but a possible sighting of #107 took place in Hardin County, Kentucky in early March 2005. Spring 2005: She turned up at her usual summer home—Horicon National Wildlife Refuge in Dodge County, WI—on March 14, 2005. But on April 13, she was confirmed in a sedge marsh 20 miles east of Necedah NWR! She was in a group containing whooping crane #102 and four sandhill cranes. Until now, Crane #107 had not been at Necedah NWR since May 4, 2002 after completing her first spring migration. After hanging out with #102 and some sandhill cranes for the next several weeks, she was spotted back at the Horicon Marsh in the territory she has occupied for the last four summers. Joe Duff pointed out, "It is interesting to note that as she approached breeding maturity this spring (2005), she did return close to the Necedah area. It is almost as if the urge to find a mate brought her back, but it was not strong enough to bring her all the way home. We will have to see what happens next (2006) breeding season." She apparently remained on Horicon NWR and nearby farm fields all summer. Due to a broken transmitter, she can't be tracked.

Fall 2005: Confirmed visually at Jasper-Pulaski SWA, northwestern Indiana, November 17. This is a major stopver area for migrating eastern sandhill cranes, and about 15,000 sandhills were there on this date. She was next reported at the end of November at Hiwassee NWR (TN), when the 2005 ultralight chicks and other cranes were also there. She was seen again on Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge, Meigs County, on January 5, 2006, Feb. 1 and again on Feb. 8. A whooping crane believed to be #107 was reported with large numbers of migrating sandhills in Indiana on 15 February 15! Her transmitter is nonfunctional, and she cannot be tracked.

Spring 2006: She apparently began migration in mid-February from her wintering area at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee. She was reported on March 9 in Indiana, with migrating sandhill cranes. A crane in IL on March 11 may have been #107 and a reported crane in WI March 15-20 could have been #107. Confirmed April 17 in Adams County, WI. Along with #102, she was in the same general area where both birds were found in April of 2005. They were not together, and #102 tried several times unsuccessfully to chase #107 from the field. So far, 107 has summered alone each year in the Horicon, WI area. She has not been electronically tracked since her transmitter stopped working in April 2003. A banded whooping crane believed to be #107 was reported in a large sandhill flock near Horicon NWR in Dodge County, WI on October 13.

Fall 2006: Crane #107 apparently began migration from Wisconsin's Horicon NWR area and arrived at Jasper-Pulaski Wildlife area on October 28. Her transmitter does not work, and she cannot be tracked. This photo shows her (far right) on Nov. 12 among staging sandhill cranes in Jackson County, Indiana. She was near direct-autumn-release chicks #26-06 and #28-06! These 3 cranes, all from the new eastern flock, did not associate. She was there on Dec. 7, but in January an unidentified crane reported from Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County, Tennessee, may have been #107.

Spring 2007: An unconfirmed sighting on March 2 in Fond du Lac County, WI may have been #107. Trackers think she migrated from her wintering area in TN, but her transmitter is nonfunctional so visual sightings are all they can rely upon. On March 26 she was reported in a Marsh in Adams County, WI.

Fall 2007: She spent the summer with Sandhill cranes in Wisconsin on Horicon NWR and nearby farm fields in Dodge County. She left Wisconsin after November 18. A bird with no signal was observed at Hiwassee WR on November 28, and this may have been 107. On Dec. 2 she was confirmed in another part of Meigs County, Tennessee. She was still there at the end of December.

Spring 2008: She was reported with migrating sandhills on Indiana's Muscatatuck NWR on February 26. Next reported with migrating sandhills in Starke County, Indiana, March 8-11. She arrived back at her usual summering grounds on Horicon NWR in Dodge County, Wisconsin on March 27! By April 3 she had returned to Adams County, and on April 5 she was observed associating with #506 at that location. The romance may be tabled, however, because a Whooping crane believed to be #107 was reported near Horicon NWR, Fond du Lac and Dodge Counties, in early June.

Fall 2008: She was with sandhills in Adams County Wisconsin on October 16, and next found at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge in Tennessee on November 26. Last confirmed there on January 10, 2009. This appears to be her usual wintering area. (Her transmitter does not work so she can't be tracked.)

Spring 2009: She was reported on a migration stopover in Jasper County, Indiana during March 10-15. An unconfirmed report at Horicon NWR in Dodge County, WI, if accurate, may have been of #107. Great news came when this lone female temporarily paired up with male #506 in Adams County (see spring 2008, above). Would they mate so #107 would finally nest and lay eggs? They were together by May 2 but, alas, separated by May 12. By May 20, female#107 returned to a previous summer location at Horicon NWR in Wisconsin's Fond du Lac County. It was another summer with no mate and no chicks.

Fall 2009: She was still at Horicon NWR, Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties, on November 25 but she was on her wintering area at Armstrong Bend, Meigs County, Tennessee, on December 13.

Spring 2010: She was reported near Armstrong Bend in Rhea County, Tennessee, on March 17 and confirmed back in Wisconsin April 18. She was found in Adams county with #506 and HY2009 DAR 32, 37, and 40. She was last reported May 2, NE of Horicon NWR in Fond du Lac County, WI.

Fall 2010: Still no news since May 2, when she was at Horicon NWR in Wisconsin. She has a nonfunctional transmitter and cannot be tracked.

Spring 2011: Still no news since May 2, 2010, when she was at Horicon NWR in Wisconsin. She has a nonfunctional transmitter and cannot be tracked.

In July of 2011, 14 months had passed without #107, the oldest female in the population, being detected. She is considered deceased.