Whooping Crane Instant Replay: Eastern Flock Migration Events April 9-22, 2002 (Updated Flock History Here) April 9 They're off! After 126 days at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, North America's newest flock of whooping cranes began their first spring migration! Driving separate vehicles, biologists Anne Lacey and Richard Urbanek tracked the birds to Wilcox County, Georgia. The flock of five flew for over six and half hours, covering 217 miles! April 10 Whoopers in Georgia. Photo WCEP The birds stayed in Wilcox County, GA as a storm came through the area. April 11 Grounded again by weather. Trackers Richard Urbanek of ICF and USFWS and Anne Lacey of ICF keep tabs on the cranes visually from a distance and with radio receivers from all five radio-banded cranes. April 12 Despite some cloud cover and a light drizzle, the cranes took flight about 9:38 a.m. on Friday and managed some progress north. They reached Henry County, Georgia after covering approximately 108 miles in almost five hours of flying. April 13 Grounded by weather. April 14 All five whooping cranes departed Henry, GA at about 9:50 (Central time) headed north. Just before crossing over into Tennessee, Crane #7 split off the group to fly solo. She eventually landed in McMinn County, TN at about 4:30 p.m. local time. The remaining four cranes flew continued north, landing in Fentress County, TN about an hour and twenty minutes later. By the time Crane #7 landed, she had flown about 144 miles in a little over six and half hours. The remaining four completed about 200 miles after a record-setting (for them!) eight hours in the air. April 15 Sunny with SW winds! Group of 4 left Fentress County, TN at 0930 CDT. Landed at 1802 they landed in Johnson County, Indiana, roosting in or near a small shallow water depression in a pasture. In another record-setting day, they flew an approximate straight-line migration distance of 238 miles in 8.5 hours. Crane Number 7: Tennessee. April 16 April 18, near Chicago, IL Photos WCEP Left Johnson County, Indiana at 9:12 a.m, flying north to Illinois. Spent 2 hours circling over Indiana Dunes near Gary, Indiana, before flying west over metro-Chicago. Richard Urbanek found the birds near a gravel quarry in a forest preserve in Cook County, Illinois. Approximate migration distance and time for the group of four on Day 8, April 16th was 214 miles in 8 hours. Tracked by Anne Lacey, Crane #7 (the whooping crane that separated from its cohorts in Tennessee) went down to roost in White County, Indiana, at about 5:15 p.m. April 17 The Flock of Four spent stayed in and near a wetland within metropolitan Chicago. Anne phoned Journey North to say Crane #7 is in Jasper County, Indiana today, taking a rest. "She's found a nice little pond and is foraging away and resting up--I hope--to continue the Journey north tomorrow." April 18 All birds ended the day in Wisconsin! The whooping cranes crossed the Illinois-Wisconsin state line into Walworth County, Wisconsin. Weather conditions began deteriorating with increasing clouds, scattered light showers, and severe thunderstorms approaching from the west. On the morning of April 19, the whooping cranes were found in a State Wildlife Area in Dodge County, Wisconsin, just a few miles north of where the ground search during the previous evening was discontinued. This location and previous tracking data indicate that the birds probably went down at this site about 2:15 pm, as weather deteriorated, and that they roosted there during the rest of the afternoon and evening ofApril 18. Approximate migration distance for the group of four(straight-line within Illinois plus straight-line within Wisconsin): 123 miles in 5.0 hours. Crane #7 has made fantastic progress over the past couple of days. Anne Lacy reported that the bird resumed migration from Jasper County, Indiana, and went down to roost near the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, possibly in Rock Co, Wisconsin. April 19 Touchdown in home territory for the Flock of Four! They arrived at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge at 6:37 p.m. despite a day of heavy clouds and headwinds. The Fabulous Four flew a total of 6.4 hours and covered 93 miles on day 11, their final migration day. Crane #7's location in Wisconsin is unknown but trackers are searching. April 20 The Four spent the day flying to various locations near the Refuge, foraging and reacquainting themselves with their "hometown." Thanks to a weak radio signal picked up by a small aircraft with ICF's tracker Matt Hayes aboard, the location of Crane #7 was placed in Green County, Wisconsin. April 21 A heavy, wet spring snowfall today probably kept all the cranes grounded. Trackers had a day off too. April 22 Richard got a visual sighting of Crane #7, foraging in south-central Wisconsin. She's just not ready to come home yet! Summary of the New Eastern Flock's Ultralight-led Journey South: Fall 2001 Photo Operation Migration 48-day journey Began October 17 at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. Ended officially December 3 when cranes reached temporary holding pen in Homosassa, FL, where they stayed till being flown the additional 5-6 miles to their remote island home at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge on December 5, 2001. 1217.8 miles, led by ultralight aircraft 8 whooping cranes began the journey and 7 finished 25 individual flights longest flight lasted 2 hours and 9 minutes traveled through Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and halfway through Florida Twenty-three days were spent grounded due to inclement weather: fog, hail, rain, frost, snow, and headwinds. A very strong storm battered the travel pen used to house the cranes during stopovers. One bird, Crane #3, died when it escaped the collapsed pen and collided with a power line during the night time storm. One bird, Crane #4, made most of the migration in a crate, traveling in a ground vehicle. This bird wanted to fly its own flight plan, so it wasn't trusted to fly with its flock mates. Facebook Pinterest Twitter © 1997 – 2019 Journey North. All rights reserved.