Today's Report Includes:

• Chick Chat: Health Checks

• Journal: Joe's Reply

• Meet the Flock: Crane Quiz #2

• Booklet: "Who Am I? Imprinting"

• Training Timeline: Red-letter Dates

• Change4Cranes: Fun Fundraiser

• Whooping Crane Festival: You're Invited!

• Countdown to Migration: Posted Fridays

Like many students this time of year, the chicks get check-ups from their doctor. A world-class crane veterinarian checks each chick. While captured, each chick also gets a temporary radio transmitter put on its leg. The small device is on a colored, numbered leg band. The transmitter signals can help the migration team to locate any chick that gets separated during the upcoming journey south. With every bird so valuable, they can't risk losing a single one. Along with combining all the chicks into one unified flock, health checks and banding are important steps in the countdown to the chicks' first migration.

Meanwhile, several other young Whooping cranes in Wisconsin are being readied for their first fall migration. These are the DAR (Direct Autumn Release) birds. They'll soon get health checks and permanent bands. Like the ultralight-led chicks, each DAR chick has its own bio page on Journey North. But unlike the ultra-chicks, the DAR youngsters are expected to follow older Whooping cranes as they head south for the winter. Meet them! >>

In last week's quiz you calculated the age difference between the oldest and the youngest chick at 32 days. How do you suppose age difference affects the chicks' personalities and training progress? Click on photos here to learn more about individual chicks:

• Meet the Hatch Year 2009 Chicks >>

While you're on the bio pages, look for answers to four fun questions in our second Crane Quiz on the Class of 2009:

CRANE QUIZ #2 >>
(The quiz page includes a link to answers.)

Click to see the chicks LIVE on the NEW Operation Migration CraneCam! >>

Why must everyone within eyesight of the baby cranes hide in baggy white sacks and always keep silent? How do these chicks know they are Whooping cranes and not another kind of bird? Find out how experts help these baby cranes imprint correctly on their species as they are being raised and trained.

Imprinting is the topic of the second booklet of our pre-migration series of six titles. Plan on a different booklet each week to build background for the coming migration. Each comes in a matching Web slide show as well as .pdf format ready to print, fold, and enjoy.

On what date did the pre-migration health checks take place? What other events will you add to your own timeline of milestones and key events for the story of the Class of 2009?

• Key Timeline Events: Hatch Year 2009 >>

The folks at Operation Migration, who conduct the chicks' fall ultralight-led migration that we share on Journey North, have a fun project offer for teachers and kids. They’ll send you a Change4Cranes kit to collect people’s spare change. When sent to Operation Migration, the money raised goes to fund this historic migration. You'll know you helped make it happen. >>

Free Operation Migration Change4Cranes Kit >>

Weekly Summaries are posted (by email) to registered participants on FRIDAYS: Sep 4, 11, 18, 25; Oct 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; Nov. 6, 13, 20— or until this year's newest Eastern flock chicks reach their winter homes in Florida!

Pre-migration: Each Friday before migration, a brief e-mail notice gives current newsy tidbits and announces a downloadable booklet for building background knowledge.
During migration: When migration begins in October, the Friday e-mails will summarize the DAILY Highlight Updates that were posted on the Web during the week. You'll want to go to the Web for the latest maps, facts, photos, and fun!