November 18, 2005 Migration Day 36 Starting the Waiting Game in Shelby County, KY +0 Miles This morning looked promising for flight, but strong 15 mph headwinds stalled an attempt to fly with the cranes this morning. We're playing the waiting game again. Meanwhile, some schools along the migration trail are are lucky to get a visitor from the migration team. Joan Garland, teacher from the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin, visits. She brings a costume, puppet, and other fun equipment. Kids ask questions for the team and pilot, and Joan gets the answers. Later we'll share those questions and answers with YOU! For starters, here's a look at the kids from Cub Run Elementary in Cub Run, Kentucky, yesterday: Joan Garland helps a student into the costume! Joan plays the contact call, just like the ultralight's loudspeaker plays. A student holds thelife-size plastic crane leg with radio transmitter.   There's also exciting migration news from other whooping cranes in the air: Year-Old Whoopers in Florida! Two of the one-year-old females (#419 and #420) were the first to reach Florida, but yesterday at 2:05 p.m. males #402, 403, 412, 416, and 417 were first to reach the Chassahowitzka pen site, where they landed last December with the ultralight planes. Will they hang around? There's no free food there, so trackers hope they'll move on and find another roost. 18 Leave Wisconsin Yesterday In Wisconsin, it's FREEZING! At least 18 of the older whooping cranes started migration yesterday when the temperature was only 3 degrees at their Wisconsin home. Sara Zimorski jumped in her truck to track these birds: #101, #202, and #208; #102, #212, #307; #201 and #306; #201 and #317; #209 and #302; #213 and 218; #216 and #303; and #301 and #311. Missing from their usual roost areas were #312, #316 and #415. Still at Necedah NWR are the four DAR chicks and older cranes #105, #204, #205, #313, #211 and #217, #310, #318. (Remember: the first digit stands for their hatch year in the Eastern flock.) Track the Migration Use our map or make your own with this migration data. (Click map to enlarge.) Keep a Migration Journal • Today's Question: The pen site in Florida is really for the new arrivals, but several older whoopers think of it as "their territory." With so many older whoopers from 4 previous ultralight-led migrations, some changes may need to be made if the older cranes are going to return to the pen. What problems could the older birds cause? What changes could help the situation? • Migration Math: Turn your thoughts to the Western (natural) flock. On November 17, 194 whooping cranes (167 adults and 27 young) were counted at their winter home on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. Approximately 235 whooping cranes are expected to arrive from Canada for the winter. What percentage of the flock has completed migration? Last year at this time, 86% of the cranes had completed the migration. How does this year's compare to last year's migration? FUN TO KNOW: An adult pair with twins was identified as nesting pair 08-05. The mother is banded female G-YbY (1987). The total of 27 chicks that have successfully completed the migration is very encouraging since 31 chicks were estimated to have fledged in August on the nesting grounds. It looks like most of them survived! Several more chicks are expected to complete the migration, including a second pair of twins confirmed in Saskatchewan on November 10th. Help the Cranes and Planes Reach Florida! Migration Journal 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.