Flying
Again At Last! (+ 58 Miles)
January 9, 2009: Migration Day 74
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Today's
lead pilot was Richard. They're heading for Lowndes County,
Alabama!
Photo Walt Sturgeon, Operation
Migration
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Wa-HOO!
Tonight the cranes will roost one stop closer to their goal! From
the take-off site, Operation Migration's Liz reported: "After
an extended
crane
rodeo,
we watched
as the cranes
and planes disappeared from sight. Next stop: Lowndes County, Alabama."
Well, after two hours and 28 minutes in the air, seven birds made it to the
stopover site where Brooke waited for a travel pen to arrive.
The other
7 birds
were down
in
a field
with Chris and Joe, who also were waiting — for Brian to appear with
enough crates to box up the birds and bring them the last 8 miles. Those dropouts
included #824 plus the three oldest and the three youngest birds!
In
the Classroom:
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Today's
Journal Questions:
(a)
Soon
the team will be dividing
the cranes for final flights to their two winter
homes. What
do you think are some important guidelines for dividing
the cranes? Try to think of
at least three. Then see this
page for the team's
guidelines. Edit your journal answer as necessary.
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(b-for-bonus) See
the Data link
under the map to study the remaining stopover
lists. Which seven birds would you put
in a group for St.
Marks National Wildlife Refuge group? Which
seven would
you
put in the group for "Chass" NWR? Explain.
This information will also be helpful:
Facts
about the Class of 2008: Until today, four birds
had been crated and driven on one day of the flight, missing
55
miles of
flying
the route. They were 819, 828, 829, and 830. On the same
day, 803 grew tired after such a long start and dropped
out 20 miles
short of the new destination. The class has one pair of
siblings (male 803 and female 824) plus two sets of triple
siblings:
male 813, male 827 and female 828; and male 819, male 829
and female 830.
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Journey
North is pleased to feature this educational adventure presented in
cooperation with the Whooping
Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).
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