November 18, 2004 Migration Day 40 Hooray! Crossing "The Beast" Walden Ridge: Up and Over! Photo OM It's a day to celebrate! The cranes and planes conquered the high Walden Ridge "Beast" (see yesterday's report) today! It was the easiest ridge crossing in the history of this reintroduction. From this year's new stopover site, Joe Duff performed an air pick-up of all 14 cranes. Once across Walden's Ridge ("The Beast"), #419 dropped down and back a bit. Richard van Heuvelen moved in to pick her up on the air currents of his wing. At 9:25 Eastern time, they landed at Hiwassee State Wildlife Refuge in Meigs County, TN. The birds accomplished today's big challenge in one hour and 15 minutes of flying, knocking off 45 statute miles. Distance covered stands at 697.2 statute miles of the just-over-1200-mile trip. Hiwassee met them with light fog, calm air, and lots of good marsh for water roosting. It's a terrific place to be! Last Fall This Fall Map the Migration Make your own map using the latest migration data Try This! Journaling Questions The migration is AHEAD of last year! Read about the difficulties of crossing Walden Ridge in 2003, 2002, and 2001. Tell in your journal how this year's crossing compared to years past, and give your journal entry a great title that fits the subject. How many days in a row have they flown? Remember to update your Migration Chart. Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP). Copyright 2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form