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December
2, 2005
Migration Day 50
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This
wild whooper was seen migrating to Texas. Is it a chick
or an adult? How do you know?
Photo Edwina Reid |
No-fly
Day in Pike County, GA+ 0 Miles
After gaining 101 miles yesterday, the
group is grounded today. Winds are indeed from the north, but way stronger
than predicted.
Winds at 3000 feet are 30
knots; if the birds and trikes climb to 1000 feet, the winds would be blowing
with a fury. They'll stay put. They've come 860.4 miles, and they
are itching to make more progress!
Getting
Ready in Florida
Meanwhile,
a stopover/layover site in Marion County, Florida
is being prepared for the crane-kids. This layover site is new,
added this year
for
the first time. Why? Well, several of the older cranes have already
landed at "their" old pen site in Florida. After four years
of migrations to this pen site, more than 35 big cranes could stop
in — or decide to stay. This was their first winter
home;
they remember
it well and think they own it. Besides, they remember free crane
chow in the feeders! But the pen is for the safety of the newest chicks
migrating
with the ultralights. Older whoopers at the pen site can harrass
the youngsters. They pick fights. They try to drive the chicks away.
But if the older birds find no food at the feeders, they usually leave.
That's what the team hopes they'll do. The team thinks by waiting several
days or weeks before bringing the new chicks to their final winter
home at the "Chass" pen, any white (older)
whoopers will give up, get bored, and go away. In the meantime, where
will they put the chicks once they reach Florida? They have a new pen
site
for
a
temporary
home in Marion County. This is the first year, so not all details are
firm yet. Stay tuned.
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Track the
Migration
Use
our map or make your own with this migration data.
(Click
map to enlarge.) |
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Keep
a Migration Journal
• Today's
Question: Whooper chicks in the wild
natural flock migrate with both parents. They stay
with them on the parents' territory all winter.
From clues above, what is one good reason
why they
stick
by
their
parents the first winter?
•
Migration Math: On Nov. 30, 185 adults
+ 29 young = 214 whoopers were counted at the
natural flock's Texas wintering grounds. With 235
whooping cranes hoped for (after an estimated 5 percent
normal mortality during summer and migration), around
91% of the flock has completed the migration from
Canada. Where are the others?
In Texas, Tom Stehn said, "I’m getting
worried since there have been no recent reports of whooping
cranes
in migration,
and
last week's strong north winds in the Flyway should have
pushed the cranes south." From clues here, calculate
the estimated peak number of whooping cranes in the
flock before migration from Canada. How many are missing?
What do you think happened to them?
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Journey
North is pleased to feature this educational adventure presented in
cooperation with the Whooping
Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).
Copyright
2005 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our
feedback form.
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