Ready for Flight
By July 31 three could fly (not #9, the youngest). He and the rest of the young cranes were able to rise off the ground on air currents from the plane's wing, called ground-effect flying. Two of last year's cranes, now adults, often drop in to watch the Class of 2013 youngsters race along behind the small aircraft. It's the same plane that led these now-adults on their first migration last year. Do you see those adult cranes watching?

Image: Doug Pellerin