Whooping Crane Florida flyover

The 14 Whooping Cranes that make up the Class of 2008 of Operation Migration are all safely in Florida, I'm happy to report. 

 

Seven are resting at St. Marks NWR in Florida's Panhandle, and seven are at Chassahowitzka NWR, north of St. Petersburg, the site used by previous classes. (This year, remember, the flock was divided to better the birds' chances of surviving the winter.) 

 

According to the Tallahassee Democrat, more than 1,000 local residents drove to a designated viewing area by the St. Marks River to watch the seven St. Marks cranes arrive on January 18. (Read David Sibley's article about St. Marks.) The Chassahowitzka birds completed the 26-mile flight from a pensite at the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve, west of Ocala, to their wintering grounds five days later, on January 23. 

 

The day before, lead pilot Brooke Pennypacker led the young birds in the annual flyover at nearby Dunnellon-Marion County Airport. Lucky for us, a friend of ours was there, and with his camera -- Robert Strickland. (We published Robert's photo of a bathing Northern Cardinal in "Your View" in our August 2007 issue, and the National Wildlife Federation later named the shot a winner in its most recent photo contest.) He sent us the three photos above, showing Pennypacker and the seven Chassahowitzka cranes. 

Thanks, Robert! --C.H.

Comments

[Matt Mendenhall]

Thanks for your comment, David. The place to report your Whooping Crane sighting is here: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/Whoopingcrane/sightings/sightingform.cfm

It's possible that the birds you saw were part of the nonmigratory population that lives in Florida. I don't know if they venture as far north as your location.

[David G. DeVries]

My name is Dave DeVries and I live in Wynfield Circle, Fleming Island, FL.

This morning around 8:00 am I saw (the second occasion) about six or seven Wooping Cranes flying south over my house.

I am an avid bird watcher, and I can say beyond a doubt they were whooping cranes.

The first occasion was about six weeks ago, maybe more.

On the first occasion I was not 100% sure they were Whooping Cranes. I saw them going away.

However, both sightings were exactly on the same course.

I Thought I should report it, since I did not see this flock mentioned in my research on the internet.

Thankyou,
Dave DeVries

Friday,July 24, 2009
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