Personality,
Early Training On May 29, Bev was getting 905 and 906 out of their pens to meet a few other chicks in the field behind the building. Little 906 did not want to come through the gate! Bev was already through the gate with 905 and all the other birds were backtracking to come see what I was doing. They all waited while 906 paced at the gate. He would not come through. Nothing I did would get him to cross this threatening threshold. Finally I put the robo-crane puppet right under his nose and inch by inch, slowly, got him to cross the gate. Once across, and when we finally started walking, the birds went into high gear running everywhere, bumping into each other, running enthusiastic zig-zag patterns, jumping, leaping. The "costumes" watched and learned more about each chick. They began to learn that "906 is, always has been, and probably always will be a scaredy-cat. He shies at everything and everyone."
Notes of Flight School in Wisconsin: He was flown to Wisconsin with Cohort One chicks on June 25. When they were finally led into their new pen, the tired 906 took a nap. After waking, most of the chicks pecked at their new leg bands or even investigated the bands of other chicks, but all was peaceful in the new pen! He paid good attentions during training sessions and, like all the chicks in cohort one, he was flying by July 20. By early August cohort one was flying circles over the training areas. By mid-August they were flying larger and longer circuits. He knows just what to do.
Spring 2010, First Journey North: Dawdlers #906 (6-09) and #912 )12-09) finally left Florida’s St. Marks NWR on April 14 to start their northward migration—22 days after their eight pen-mates had departed. Matt said, "The weather was not favorable for migration. As I started tracking their flight, I found that strong east winds blew the birds far to the west. In fact, although only 40 miles due south of the Georgia border, these two would not fly into Georgia airspace. Instead, they would be blown over 50 miles west into Alabama." They settled for the night in Chilton County, Alabama, 235 miles from St. Marks NWR. The two were spotted flying over through Vermilion County, IL on the morning of April 18th. "They should be back up here soon", said Eva from the Necedah area, "but we haven't heard them yet." She was right: She picked up their signals on April 21 as they flew over the Necedah NWR! MIGRATION COMPLETE. But they didn't stay! Matt Strausser, ICF Tracking Intern, then followed the birds for another five hours. The birds crossed out of Wisconsin and into Iowa, where they landed to roost in a wetland in Allamakee County, Iowa. No checks or reports since then. Fall 2010: Migrated and wintered in Hamilton County, Tennessee with #506 (#6-05) and #38-09 (DAR). Spring 2011: The group #906, #506 and #38-09 (DAR) left Hamilton County, TN sometime between Feb. 25 and 27. They were reported back in the Necedah NWR area by March 21. Fall 2011: Male #6-09 wintered in Greene County, Indiana with #35-09 (DAR). Spring 2012: He was detected in flight headed north over ICF headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin on March 15 with female 35-09 (DAR). Close to home! Fall/Winter 2012- 2013: Wintered in Green County, Indiana. Spring 2013: If bands were reported correctly, Crane #906 (#6-09) was among three adult whoopers reported March 26 in a reclaimed wetland area of an Illinois quarry. "They have been loafing and feeding in the same area of the wetland for at least the last 2 days," reported the observer. Their current location is 4 miles from the Livingston Co., IL stopover site of the ultralight-led migration south for male #6-09. Perhaps he's the leader of this trio's journey north? The birds with him are #27-10 (DAR) and #35-09 (DAR). The three completed migration to Necedah NWR March 29! By late April or early May cranes #35-09 DAR and #6-09 were nesting but they, along with several other nesting crane pairs, abandoned their nest in early May. No chicks for this pair this summer... Spring 2014: He completed migration back to Necedah NWR by March 21. He is no longer with female #27-10 DAR. Fall 2014: Migrated with female #23-10 DAR to Greene County, Indiana. The pair made a short trip (less than two weeks) to Wheeler NWR, Alabama,in early January. Spring 2015: He and his mate #7-12 both died on their summer territory in June. The male's remains were discovered June 30, near where his mate's remains were recovered earlier, and during the time when he was molting and thus vulnerable to predation.
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Last updated: 9/9/15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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