Countdown to Migration: September 30, 2005 Chick Chat: All 20 Chicks Fly Together Update Your Training Timeline! Meet the Flock: Getting to Know the Cranes (and the Team!) Crane Quiz #4 This Week's Booklet: "Life at Camp O.M." Countdown to Migration--Posted Every Friday Chick Chat: All 20 Chicks fly Together Big news! The chicks flew only 3 times in the last week, but history was made on September 21. Said pilot Richard van Heuvelen, “Looking back at the vast group of birds, I was struck by a sense of awe and excitement: twenty birds following--all at the same time!” All 20 crane-kids are now living together in one large flock, figuring out their social structure on the ground and in the air. Target departure date is set for October 10! Read the letters on the plane and find out which pilot is flying. Photo Heather Ray Update Your Training Timeline! Twenty cranes don't all fit in the photo! Photo Heather Ray You can add the latest milestone to your own timeline for this year's flock. Milestones and key events for the newest members of the Eastern flock are listed here: Key Timeline Events: Hatch-year 2005 "This may be the only time in history that 20 whooping cranes have flown in formation. It is certainly the first time that 20 have followed an aircraft." Richard van Heuvelen, September 21, 2005 Meet the New Cranes! Meet the Flock: Getting to Know the Cranes (and the Team!) Answer this week’s questions and you’ll not only find out more about the chicks, but also the migration team that leads them. Here’s help: Meet the Flock, Hatch Year 2005 Meet the Migration Team Crane Quiz #4 1. Which team member won’t be traveling with the migration because he’s going to work at Disney World? 2. Which new team member is also a veterinarian? 3. Which of the most submissive birds (505, 511, 519 has turned mean to Mark and Chris lately? 4. On September 20, the pilots tried flying all 20 birds together for the first time. All but four chicks joined in the flight behind Richard’s trike. Besides #524, which three chicks didn’t fly with the flock? Crane Quiz #4 (Printer-friendly version) This Week's Booklet: "Life at Camp O.M" What important lessons are the chicks learning in flight school at Camp O.M.? (O.M. stands for Operation Migration, the folks who lead the cranes south with ultralights.) Do the chicks get report cards? (Yes!) What is a training session like? What adaptations help cranes live in their wetland habitat? Find answers in the fourth kids’ booklet in our series of six. The booklets come in .pdf format, ready to print, fold, and enjoy. You'll also find links to the Teacher Guide (with fun lesson links) and a booklet slide-show format to view on the Web: "Life at Camp O.M." (Printer-friendly,downloadable kids' booklet) Countdown to Migration: Posted Every Friday E-mail Summaries are posted to registered participants on FRIDAYS: Sep 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; Oct 7, 14, 21, 28; Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25. . .or until this year's newest Eastern whooping crane chicks reach their winter home in Florida! Pre-migration: Friday summaries give current newsy tidbits and announce a downloadable booklet for building background. During migration: When migration begins, the Friday e-mails will summarize the Highlight Updates (complete with latest maps, facts, photos, and fun) that were posted daily on the Web during the week. Also, Welcome to New Participants! See You Next Friday, October7! Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure presented in cooperation with the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Copyright 2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form.