| Comparing Ultralight-Led Migrations |
|||
| 2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
|
| Target date for departure | October 13 |
Oct. 7 and then Oct. 10 |
October
8 |
| Actual departure | October 17 |
October 13 |
October
16 |
| Number of birds at takeoff | 8 |
17 |
16 |
| Number of planes | 4: lead, chase, scout, top cover |
5:
four ultralights and one top cover |
5: four ultralights and one top cover |
| Journey's end | December 3 |
November 30 |
December
8 |
| Number of birds reaching Florida | 7 |
16 |
16 |
| Total days en route | 48 |
49 |
54 |
| Number of no-fly days (grounded or turned back) | 24 |
28 |
34
(includes 4 days when they turned back and made no progress) |
| Number of actual flight days (progress made) | 24 |
21 |
20 |
| Longest flight | 2 hours 9 minutes |
2 hours 15 minutes |
3
hours 4 minutes |
| Shortest flight | 38 minutes |
44 minutes |
|
| Total Miles South | 1217.8 |
1202.8 |
1191 |
| Number of birds surviving spring migration | 5 |
16 |
16 |
| Days on Wintering Grounds | 126 |
121 |
117 days* |
Click here for the daily migration reports.
NOTES:
Only 9 of
the 15 birds flew the entire leg on day 1. On October 17 crane #303 was reunited with
her flock after recovering from surgery on a leg and flew again on Oct
26, Day 11. The new Eastern flock of Whooping cranes is now up to 36
birds.
It took them two tries to cross Walden Ridge. They reached the halfway
point at Tennessee's Hiwassee Refuge on day 37, Nov. 18. The longest
stretch
of bad weather was in Morgan County, Indiana. One of their wild migratory
crane cousins from the Aransas/Wood Buffalo flock was shot by a Texas
poacher before making it to the wintering grounds.
(Read Notes on previous migrations: 2001, 2002.)
Journey
North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by
the Whooping
Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).
Copyright
2002-2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form