Migration Highlights
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|
| Target
date for departure |
Oct
10 and then Oct. 14 |
| Actual
date for departure |
Oct.
14 |
| Number
of birds at takeoff |
20 |
| Number
of birds surviving fall migration |
19
|
| Date
migration ends |
Dec.
13 |
| Total
days of fall migration |
62, 63 and 64* |
| Number
of actual flight days (progress made) |
22 |
| Number
of no-fly days (grounded or turned back) |
39 |
| Longest
flight (distance) |
116.3
miles |
| Total
miles flown |
1,205 |
| Days
on Wintering Grounds |
106
days |
| Number
of birds before spring migration |
18 |
| Number
of birds surviving spring migration |
17 |
*For
the first time, the young cranes landed at a holding site (Halpata
Preserve). They were
moved to the main wintering site (Chassahowitzka NWR) on January
10 (7 cranes), 11 (10 cranes) and 12 (1 crane) after all the older whooping cranes cleared the site and wouldn't bother them.
NOTES:
-
They
were grounded 8 days by un-flyable weather in Morgan County Indiana.
This was the longest stay in one location since ultralight-led
migrations began in 2001.
-
Crane #516 was
injured on Day 5 during flight. He didn't fly again until Day
20, November 2. This was also the first day that ALL 20 birds
flew the distance for the first time on this migration.
-
The
death of the youngest chick was a sad loss. Chick #526 was
dead in the travel pen on November 10. He had not missed a single
leg (flight) of the migration.
-
Thanks
to great tailwinds, they were able to skip a stop and head to
the next one on Day
39.
-
Twelve
birds didn't make the flight on Day
58. Even though it's safter to fly the birds then to truck them, all 12 were
finally boxed and driven.
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