Go
Cranes! A Flight Today (+64.4 Miles)
December 4, 2007: Migration Day 53
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| In
the Air Again! Photo Chris Gullikson, Operation Migration |
Whoopee!
They're now in Russell
County, the last stop in Kentucky! Joe led today's takeoff with
all 17 birds. Oh, happy day! The birds charged out of the pen,
eager
to fly despite 8 days on the ground, and none turned back. But
the flight was not without its challenges. The birds followed
well for a few miles, but started to break up as they climbed in
altitude. Soon all four pilots had birds on their wings. Their
ultralights were only a few hundred feet apart. "That split the
loyalties of
the
birds following us, and they
moved back and forth between us," explained Joe. The planes got
some distance between them and eventually 9 formed on Brooke’s
wing and 6 on Joe's. Joe
kept losing
altitude because he had to continually chase #703, who wanted to
lead. (More>> ) As a result, Joe and his 6 birds stayed below
1000 feet, where a tailwind
slowed
their
progress. Richard and Brooke climbed higher and caught a tailwind.
Richard landed first with two birds, then Brooke with 9 and Joe
with 6. Oh, it's good to be moving again!
A
Chance to See the Cranes and Planes!
The public can watch
the departure (let's hope it's
tomorrow) as the cranes leave Kentucky for Tennessee.
The pilots will try to fly over the Wolf
Creek National Fish Hatchery near the Wolf Creek Dam (map
and directions). Liz
at Operation
Migration reminds everyone: Be there by 6:45, dressed
warmly!
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In the Classroom
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Today's Journal Question: (a) The cranes were grounded for the past 8 days. What's the all-time record for being grounded in one spot? Find out here.
(b-for-bonus) View this video clip taken by Chris on one of last year's flights and then answer: Why doesn't the bird closest to the plane flap its wings nearly as much as the birds farther back? If you are stumped, see our questions and audio clip, as well as this lesson: Flight Formation. - Migration Math: Richard and his two birds climbed to 2500 feet and managed to pick up a slight tailwind, while Joe and his birds had to stay below 1,000 feet today. At that altitude, the smooth air was moving against them. Joe said, "Our ground speed was never above 34 miles per hour despite the fact we were flying at 42 mph." How fast was the headwind blowing?
Journey
North is pleased to feature this educational adventure presented in
cooperation with the Whooping
Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). © 1997 – 2024 Journey North. All rights reserved.
