[mou] whooping crane update (experimental flock)

Robert_Russell@fws.gov Robert_Russell@fws.gov
Wed, 5 Oct 2005 11:38:16 -0500 

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There are now 42 wild birds in the eastern experimental population of
whooping cranes centered around Necedah NWR in central Wisconsin.  Twen=
ty
hatch year birds are in training to follow the ultralight airplanes to
their Florida wintering grounds (see Operation Migration website) while=
 4
other juveniles birds are scheduled for a soft-release program into sma=
ll
groups of adults which have already made the round-trip to Florida.  Tw=
o
pairs bred this year in Central Wisconsin but, as is typical of first-y=
ear
birds, they didn't do well and failed to guard the nest and predators
likely stole the egg(s?) in the first day or two after laying.  Usually=

such birds do better the second time around so we have our fingers cros=
sed
for next year.  The ultralight birds are scheduled to depart Necedah on=
 10
October but I suspect weather may delay that for a few days.   One bird=

circumnavigated the Adirondacks (VT, NY) after losing the way in spring=

migration and was last seen in wild country in western NY in early Augu=
st.
Hopefully he'll show up in migration this fall. Three of the wild birds=
 are
at an undisclosed location in Morrison County, Minnesota since mid-Augu=
st.
The coming cold weather may cause these birds to start moving around an=
d
thinking migration.  Small groups of whoopers occasionally join staging=

Sandhill Cranes as a preliminary to fall migration.  Perhaps the Morris=
on
County birds will join up withsandhills at Sherburne NWR or other stagi=
ng
site.  Adult cranes tend to migrate individually or in small family gro=
ups
so if you see 15 white birds with black wing tips you've probably spott=
ed
pelicans or may need to replace those Tascos with a better brand of bin=
s.
Observers in southeastern and central Minnesota should keep their eyes =
open
the next few weeks as other birds may wander in from Wisconsin. Report =
any
sightings to Richard Urbanek, USFWS, at 612/804-0959.  The fall ultrali=
ght
migration can be tracked (once it begins) on www.bringbackthecranes.org=
.
Bob Russell, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, MN=

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<html><body>
<p>There are now 42 wild birds in the eastern experimental population o=
f whooping cranes centered around Necedah NWR in central Wisconsin.  Tw=
enty hatch year birds are in training to follow the ultralight airplane=
s to their Florida wintering grounds (see Operation Migration website) =
while 4 other juveniles birds are scheduled for a soft-release program =
into small groups of adults which have already made the round-trip to F=
lorida.  Two pairs bred this year in Central Wisconsin but, as is typic=
al of first-year birds, they didn't do well and failed to guard the nes=
t and predators likely stole the egg(s?) in the first day or two after =
laying.  Usually such birds do better the second time around so we have=
 our fingers crossed for next year.  The ultralight birds are scheduled=
 to depart Necedah on 10 October but I suspect weather may delay that f=
or a few days.   One bird circumnavigated the Adirondacks (VT, NY) afte=
r losing the way in spring migration and was last seen in wild country =
in western NY in early August.  Hopefully he'll show up in migration th=
is fall. Three of the wild birds are at an undisclosed location in Morr=
ison County, Minnesota since mid-August.  The coming cold weather may c=
ause these birds to start moving around and thinking migration.  Small =
groups of whoopers occasionally join staging Sandhill Cranes as a preli=
minary to fall migration.  Perhaps the Morrison County birds will join =
up withsandhills at Sherburne NWR or other staging site.  Adult cranes =
tend to migrate individually or in small family groups so if you see 15=
 white birds with black wing tips you've probably spotted pelicans or m=
ay need to replace those Tascos with a better brand of bins.  Observers=
 in southeastern and central Minnesota should keep their eyes open the =
next few weeks as other birds may wander in from Wisconsin. Report any =
sightings to Richard Urbanek, USFWS, at <font size=3D"4" face=3D"Times =
New Roman">612/804-0959</font>.  The fall ultralight migration can be t=
racked (once it begins) on www.bringbackthecranes.org.  Bob Russell, US=
 Fish and Wildlife Service, Ft. Snelling, MN</body></html>=

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