Whooping Crane Conservation Association

GEORGIA DNR BOARD PASSES RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF INVESTIGATING WHOOPING CRANE KILLING
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (Jan. 27, 2011) – The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Board passed a resolution today supporting the investigation of the recent killing of three whooping cranes in Calhoun County, Ga.   Members of the Georgia DNR Board and the Georgia DNR Foundation also are contributing an additional $4,800 to the reward fund.  This addition brings the total reward fund amount to$20,800.
 
“This generous contribution comes at a time when there are no real leads in the investigation,” said Philllip Watt, DNR Board Chairman of the Wildlife Resources Committee. “We hope that the additional funds will entice someone to come forth with new information that will help solve the case.  We are proud to be able to show our support in this way.”
 
The DNR Board resolution urges the Wildlife Resources Division to continue cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to use “all available resources to investigate and prosecute the individual(s) responsible for killing the whooping cranes.”
 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents are leading a joint investigation with Georgia DNR conservation rangers. The cranes were shot sometime before Dec. 30, 2010, and were discovered and reported by hunters. An examination by scientists at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory, it was  determined that the birds had injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
 
“The DNR Board is putting its money where its mouth is,” said Joe Hatfield, Vice Chairman of the Board’s Wildlife Resources Committee.  “We will continue to monitor this case and help DNR provide all appropriate resources appropriate to help apprehend the individual or individuals who shot the cranes.”
 
Other recent contributions to the reward fund include $2,500 from The Environmental Resources Network (T.E.R.N.) and $1,000 from the Atlanta Audubon Society.  The reward will be provided to the person or people who provide information leading to an arrest and successful prosecution of the perpetrator(s). T.E.R.N., is the friends group of DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section.
 
The cranes were part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership effort to reintroduce whooping cranes into the eastern United States.  There are about 570 whooping cranes left in the world, 400 in the wild. This was the three crane’s first migration.  They were banded and equipped with transmitters and were not part of the ultralight aircraft-led migration effort.  Their identities were confirmed by recovery of their bands.  The three cranes, 20-10, 24-10, and 28-10, were part of a group of five 2010 Direct Autumn Release cranes.  According to Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership trackers, they had last been tracked in Hamilton County, Tenn., where they roosted on Dec. 10, 2010, with cranes 6-05, 6-09, and 38-09.
 
In addition to the Endangered Species Act, whooping cranes are protected by state laws and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
 
Any information concerning the deaths of these cranes should be provided to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Terry Hasting at 404-763-7959 and/or Georgia Department of Natural Resources 24hr. TIP Hotline at 1-800-241-4113.

“WCCA to meet with other organizations in Nebraska in March 2011

The WCCA will hold a business meeting in association with the 12th North American Crane Workshop. Details of when and where the WCCA will meet will be shared with our members prior to the event. There will be awesome field trips and many presentations on cranes and other water birds. It will be a great event!

THE TWELFTH NORTH AMERICAN CRANE WORKSHOP will be held in Grand Island, Nebraska, March 13 – 16, 2011 and will be held jointly with the Waterbird Society.  The workshop is open to all those interested in crane research and conservation. Workshop details and registration information coming soon. Contacts for the meeting are: FELIPE CHAVEZ-RAMIREZ, Local Committee Chair (EM: fchavez@whoopingcrane.org<mailto:fchavez@whoopingcrane.org>) and DAVID ABORN, Scientific Program Chair (EM: david-aborn@utc.edu<mailto:david-aborn@utc.edu>).

The Platte River and nearby wetlands in mid-March provide staging habitat for nearly 10 million waterfowl and half a million Sandhill Cranes–a phenomenon of global significance. Due to its use by large numbers of migrating shorebirds, the area also is designated a Landscape of International Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Additional information on the meeting can be found at the websites of the Waterbird Society (http://www.waterbirds.org/annual_meeting) and North American Crane Working Group (http://www.nacwg.org/).”

This email is to let you know that in association with the Workshop described above, the WCCA Trustees will be holding a meeting at 7pm on Monday the 14th of March. All members of the WCCA are welcome to attend the Trustee meeting. If you have questions about this event you may contact WCCA newsletter editor Marty Folk at 1475 Regal Ct., Kissimmee, FL 34744, email marty.folk@myfwc.com<mailto:marty.folk@myfwc.com> or phone 407-348-3009.

The third aerial census of the 2010-11 whooping crane season was conducted January 19, 2011 in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions, Castroville, Texas with USFWS observer Tom Stehn.

The flight only covered 2/3’s of the crane area due to limited flight time.  Flight conditions and visibility were good throughout the 4-hour flight, although clouds made it a harder to find cranes during mid-portions of the census.  A follow-up flight the next day had to be cancelled due to fog and low ceilings.   

Sighted on the flight were 175 adults and 36 juveniles = 211 total whooping cranes.  The only recent confirmed report I have of whooping cranes not at Aransas was one white-plumaged whooping crane in north Texas near Electra on January 2nd.

Assuming numbers had remained the same from the previous flight in the areas not covered, the numbers represent an increase of 3 cranes above the previous record-tying count of 270.  However, although I fully expect flock size to be more than the 270 previously tallied, it will take several more flights before I can establish a better estimate of flock size.

Crane habitat use observed on the census flight (n=211):

              74 of the cranes observed were in salt marsh habitat

              82 were on prescribed burns

              21 were in shallow open bay habitat

              31 were on uplands areas

                3 were at fresh water sources

The 82 whooping cranes on prescribed burns was notably very high.

Burn Location     Unit Number        # of Cranes Observed

San Jose Island            –                                3

Matagorda Island         G1                            6

Aransas Refuge          C4/C5                       21

Aransas Refuge          C8/C9                       52

The prescribed burns have changed the distribution of cranes on the winter range, with many cranes moving to the two refuge burns from different parts of the wintering area.  For example, two of the radioed cranes have left Lamar and are staying on the refuge burns and adjacent salt marsh.  One adult female crane was captured on Lamar and radioed on January 8^th by biologists organized by The Crane Trust, Wood River, Nebraska.  They set out a snare attached to a long twine, and when the bird stepped in the snare, they yanked on a fishing pole and tightened the snare, ran out from blinds and grabbed the bird.

This is normally a tougher time for whooping cranes to find adequate food resources, and this winter is no exception as evidenced by increased use of uplands, burns, and open bay habitat during the flight.  A crab count conducted January 7th had found only 6 blue crabs in an hour of walking the marsh, but compared to some winters, this was not too bad.  No wolfberry fruits or flowers had been found, with the crop over for the year.

Salinities are currently 19 ppt in San Antonio bay just north of the refuge.  Several inches of rain that fell

January 15-16^th has provided additional drinking water for the cranes in various areas of standing water next to the salt marsh and eased access to drinking water for the cranes.

A severe hail storm that crossed the Texas coast in the early morning hours of January 9^th apparently killed over 1,000 birds in a narrow area on San Jose Island stretching over 15 miles.  Initially reported by a waterfowl hunter, a reconnaissance by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department estimated at least 1,000 birds had been killed.  Species found dead included sandhill crane, white pelican, roseate spoonbill, black skimmer, ducks, plovers, and terns.  Sixteen specimens were necropsied by the National Wildlife Health Center, but I do not yet have the results.  During the reconnaissance, TPWD had observed 8 whooping cranes that looked fine.  Additional searches in other parts of the crane range had not find any dead birds.  On today’s census flight, there was no evidence of hail-killed birds or missing whooping cranes on San Jose Island.  I think the whooping cranes dodged nature’s bullet, though we’ll probably never know for sure if a few whooping cranes perished.  Tornados and wind gusts > 60 mph associated with the storm had also damaged buildings in various locations in the Coastal Bend.

       Tom Stehn, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

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Atlanta (CNN) — Federal authorities have offered a reward for information in the case of three endangered whooping cranes found shot to death in southwestern Georgia.
The bodies of the cranes were found and reported by hunters near Albany, Georgia, on December 30, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday. They were sent to the service’s forensics laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, where wildlife scientists determined they “sustained injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.”
It is not known when the cranes were shot. They were part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, an initiative aimed at reintroducing whooping cranes into the eastern United States. There are about 570 whooping cranes left in the world, 400 of them in the wild, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. About 100 cranes are in the eastern migratory population.
This was the cranes’ first migration, the service said in a statement. They were banded and equipped with transmitters and had last been tracked in Hamilton County, Tennessee, where they roosted with other cranes December 10.
A $12,500 reward is offered by the service and other organizations including the Humane Society of the United States, the International Crane Foundation and the Georgia Conservancy. It will be provided to a person or persons who provide information leading to an arrest and successful prosecution, officials said.
In addition to the Endangered Species Act, whooping cranes are protected by Georgia law and the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Those wishing to offer information can call the Georgia Department of Natural Resources or the Fish and Wildlife Service.

12th North American Crane Workshop and 34th Annual Meeting of

The Waterbird Society Joint Meeting

13-16 March 2011 Grand Island, Nebraska USA

Announcement and Call for Papers

This meeting will constitute the annual meeting for the 2010 calendar year for The Waterbird Society and the 12th North American Crane Workshop, and will include presentations of research papers, symposia, workshops, social events and area field trips. The Waterbird Society will be meeting for the first time with the North American Crane Working Group whose mission is to improve communication and interaction among individuals researching or managing cranes in North America. The theme of the meeting is Migration and Migratory Landscapes and both organizations are anticipating a productive and stimulating conference. Planned symposia and special paper sessions include:

Playa Wetland Ecology (Ted LaGrange)
Mountain Plover Management and Conservation (Brad Andres; Tammy VerCauteren)
Ecology of Waterbird Migration (Lisa Webb)
Local Movements and Roosting Habits of Waterbirds (Chip Weseloh)
Black Tern: Science and Management (Patty Szczys)
Species Reintroductions (Marilyn Spalding)
Climate Change, Freshwater Resources and Waterbirds (Marilyn Spalding)
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Lessons Learned (Jonathan Cohen)
Why, How, and Wherefore of Monitoring Programs (Organizers: Susan Elbin & Nellie Tsipoura)

In addition, the meeting will include general paper sessions and poster presentations.

Members of both organizations and non-members are encouraged to submit an abstract of their work for oral or poster presentation at the meeting. Deadline for submitting abstracts is 15 January 2011. Submit an abstract.

Meeting Structure

This year’s meeting will be a joint meeting of the North American Crane Working Group and The Waterbird Society. This is the first time these two societies have come together and promises to be an exciting and educational experience for all. This joint meeting should provide an opportunity for members of the two societies to meet and learn about each other’s work. A broader participation of professionals should increase opportunities to interact and make connections, particularly for students.

Venue

Grand Island, Nebraska. The conference will be held at the Holiday Inn Midtown. The Holiday Inn Midtown has 206 rooms and is a conference center with two ballrooms, seven breakout rooms, an exhibit area and all services required for a major conference. Grand Island is located in south-central Nebraska, in the middle of the continent and in an important migratory corridor for millions of birds along the Central Flyway.

Spring time, the dates for this meeting, is a busy time as this region is part of the Central Flyway and some 6-10 million waterfowl and half a million Sandhill Cranes are staging in a relatively narrow corridor. Cranes, geese, ducks, and shorebirds are easily visible in and along the Platte River and adjacent wetlands and fields. The spring staging of sandhill cranes is recognized as a unique ecological phenomenon. Sandhill Cranes use the Platte River Valley as a staging area from late February through mid-April, using the river to roost and obtaining energy reserves from waste corn in the surrounding areas. Just south of the Platte River Valley is the Rainwater Basin, a complex of shallow basin wetlands. Comprised of hundreds of individual wetlands of different sizes, it is an internationally recognized stopover area for migrating shorebirds and is also considered a Landscape of Hemispheric Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. Daily opportunities to view cranes and waterfowl on the river will be available via blinds and field trips.

In mid-1800’s, an idea came to light to develop a city in Central Nebraska. This city would be situated along the Platte River Road, and the first settlers hoped that the central location of this city would be ideal for the relocation of the nation’s capital from Washington D.C. This dream was of course, never became reality.

In 1857, an expedition of 35 people set out from Davenport, Iowa, consisting of German immigrants. The banking house called Chubb Brothers and Barrows, of Davenport supported the group. They were instructed to choose their settlement’s location within an area named by French Fur Traders as “La Grande Island”, an island in the Platte River. In 1857, the group of settlers began their journey, arrived at their destination and began their settlement on July 4, 1857. By September, log houses had been constructed from ash, elm, and cottonwood timber.

Scientific Program

Concurrent sessions will take place Monday-Wednesday 14-16th March. A poster session will take place late afternoon and evening on Monday 14th March.

Travel

Grand Island has a regional airport with direct flight services from Denver, Phoenix, and Las Vegas with Allegiant Air and Great Lakes Airlines. Kearney Regional airport is 40 minutes away and supports flights to Denver with Great Lakes Airlines. Lincoln airport is a 1.5 hour drive to Grand Island and supports direct flights to Minneapolis and Denver. Omaha airport is a 2.5 hour drive from Grand Island and has connecting flights to and from most major airline hubs in the US.

Transportation from Airports to Conference Center

Shuttle Service
Transportation from Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney airports is available via Eppley Express shuttle service for $56.00 from Omaha, $49.00 from Lincoln, and $28.00 from Kearney. Please contact the shuttle service directly to make reservations at: eppleyexpress.com or call 1-800-888-9793 or locally at (308) 234-6066. For those arriving at the Grand Island airport, simply call the hotel for their shuttle, rent a car, or call for a taxi.

Car rental agencies are available at all airports listed here.

Driving Directions

Grand Island is just north of Interstate Highway 80 (I-80). From Lincoln or Omaha you need take Highway I-80 west, to exit 314, also Locust Street Exit (90 miles from Lincoln, 150 miles from Omaha), and head North on Locust Street for 6.5 miles to Holiday Inn Midtown.

From Kearney or coming eastbound take I-80 east to exit 314 .

Weather

Spring weather in the Central Platte River Valley is extreme and highly variable each year. Be prepared for anything from warm to cold snowy conditions. Every spring is different.
March in Nebraska is a typical transition month on the Great Plains. Weather conditions can change drastically through the week, and through the day. Expect temperatures in Grand Island to range from below freezing at night (many times below 0°F at night) to around 50°F during the day. Precipitation is mainly in the form of freezing drizzle and/or snow. Winds are moderate to strong averaging 12 mph with 40 mph not uncommon.
Record High Temperature at Grand Island in March: 90°F
Record Low Temperature at Grand Island in March: -21°F
30-Year Normal High for March: 77°F
30-Year Normal Low for March: 7°F
Average High for March 2009: 49.5°F
Average High for March 2009: 27.0°F

Lodging

The room rate at the Conference host hotel for meeting participants at the Holiday Inn Midtown room is $79.00 for single, double, triple, or quadruple occupancy. Participants must make their own reservations directly with the hotel at 800-548-5542. Mention “North American Crane-Waterbird Society” reservation code when making reservations to ensure you get the special rate. You may also make hotel reservations online at this link: &&&&NACWG/WBS

Conference Hotel address:
Midtown Holiday Inn
2503 South Locust Street
Grand Island, NE 68801

Other Accommodations
Several hotels are available within walking distance of the Holiday Inn. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the Best Western and Super 8 motels, through 1 March, for those looking for alternative lodging options.

Best Western Inn & Suites
2707 S Locust St
Grand Island, NE 68801
308-381-8855
A block of 25 -30 sleeping rooms is available at a flat rate $89.99 + tax for 1-4 persons.
Amenities include hot continental breakfast, swimming pool, exercise room, wireless internet, microwave & frig.

Super 8
2603 South Locust St
Grand Island, NE 68801
308-384-4380
A block of 25 sleeping rooms is available at a Flat rate $65.00 + tax for 1-4 persons.
Amenities include continental breakfast, swimming pool, wireless internet, microwave & frig.

Special Rates and Support for Students

The possibility of multiple occupancy per room (up to 4) at the Holiday Inn Midtown and other hotels should provide reasonable lodging rates for students willing to share a room. Students with limited or no funding support from grants or their institutions may apply for a lodging scholarship at the Crane Trust (See Lodging Scholarship Guidelines below for details). Travel Scholarships are available from The Waterbird Society, for information contact: Linda Wires (tel. 612-624-2297). All students who have submitted for an oral presentation or poster to the scientific program will be eligible for significantly reduced registration fees. Students who are not presenting will still have reduced registration fees as outlined below in Registration Costs.

Lodging Scholarships
Students without project or institutional support may apply for a lodging scholarship at The Crane Trust. Interested students please contact Walter Wehtje (tel. 308-384-4633).

Registration Costs

Early regular (member) $250.00
Early regular (non-member) $295.00
Join WBS
Join NACWG
Student $100.00
Late regular (member) $300.00
Late regular (non-member) $345.00
Late student $150.00

Non-member registration includes a one year membership to either NACWG or WBS.

Registration costs will include breakfasts and lunches on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Food at the reception, all socials, banquet, and coffee breaks is also included with registration. Dinner, except for the banquet on Wednesday 15th March, is on your own. Complimentary food is available at the Hospitality Barn. In addition, food and drinks at The Crane Trust Hospitality Barn and the Hospitality Suite at the hotel are complementary for paid registrants (must provide proof of registration via name tag and beverage container).

Registration

Registration is available <here>. Registration packets and for those wishing to register on site the Registration desk will be open Sunday 13th March from 1300-1700 hrs and from 0700-1000 hrs on all conference days at the Holiday Inn Midtown.

Food

Breakfast and lunches will be provided as part of registration on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and offered at the hotel. Dinner on Wednesday is provided at the banquet. Food will be available at dinner time at The Crane Trust Hospitality Barn on Monday and Tuesday. For other meals or food options a list of local restaurants is attached (Appendix A).

Meeting Logistics

In an effort to decrease the amount of disposable containers used at the meeting, all paid registrants will receive a non-disposable hot liquid mug for coffee and tea and a water bottle style container that can be used for cold beverages. You must have your mug for coffee breaks and must have your water bottle for refreshments at the different socials described below (except for the banquet).

Social Events

Sunday 13 March:

The ice breaker social will take place at The Crane Trust facilities, 20 minutes from the Hotel. Transportation from and to the hotel and food and drinks will be provided. The ice breaker will be near (but far enough to not cause disturbance) to one of the largest sandhill crane roosts in the Platte River. From this location we will be able to observe as thousands of cranes fly from fields to staging areas and to roost sites in the river which will also be visible from our location. Buses will depart every hour at the top of the hour from the Hotel parking lot to the Trust starting at 1730 hrs. Buses will leave the Trust for the hotel every 30 minutes starting at 2000 hours.

Poster Session Monday 14 March:

The Poster session will be from 1600-1800 hrs on Monday and will feature a cash bar and heavy hors d’oevres. Posters should be up by noon Monday 14 March for early viewing and poster presenters should be next to their posters from 1600-1800 hrs for interaction.

All Evenings:

The Crane Trust Hospitality Barn is intended to provide opportunities to enjoy the Sandhill Crane roosting flights and other migratory bird movements at The Crane Trust Wild Rose Ranch. The Hospitality Barn will be open every evening during the conference. Drinks and heavy appetizers will be available to all registered participants (must have water bottle included in registration packet) at no additional charge. Drinks to be provided include soft drinks, Thunderhead Brewery microbrews, and wine. You are free to bring your own drinks if you prefer other types of items. Transportation will be available via motor coaches running every half-hour starting at the end of scheduled presentations until 2230 PM. Buses depart from and return to the Holiday Inn Midtown parking lot. For those preferring to stay at the hotel, a hospitality suite will provide drinks and light snacks.

Banquet:

The banquet will take place on the evening of Wednesday, 16th March, at the Holiday Inn Midtown and is included in the price of registration.

Field Trips

A pre-conference field trip is available on Sunday 13th March. Tuesday, 15 March, is the field trip day for the North American Crane Working Group members. A post-conference field will be on Thursday 17 March. Two field trips are available:

Trip 1: Birdwatching

For those interested in bird watching, Joel Jorgensen, avian biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Andy Bishop, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will lead a trip through the Rainwater Basin wetlands located south and east of Grand Island. These wetlands support literally millions of migrating ducks, geese, and shorebirds.

All trips depart from the Midtown Holiday Inn at 0900 hrs. Travel will be by bus to the various wetlands. Lunch will be provided. Following lunch the return trip will concentrate on viewing sandhill cranes in the meadows and fields along the Platte River. The tour is expected to end at 1530 hrs.

Trip 2: Restoration and Management of Platte River

For those interested in the extensive restoration work being done on the Platte River by The Whooping Crane Trust, the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners Program, the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, The Nature Conservancy, power companies and Natural Resource Districts, there will be an opportunity to travel with Jim Jenniges, Environmental Specialist with the Nebraska Public Power District and Chad Smith, Environmental Manager of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program to restoration sites to view completed work and to discuss the purpose of the activities, and past as well as future activities. Travel between sites will provide ample opportunity to observe cranes, waterfowl, and other bird species in fields and wetlands.

The Tour will leave from the Midtown Holiday Inn at 9:30 AM and return by 3:30 PM. Lunch will be provided. The trip will include an opportunity to view sandhill cranes in the meadows and fields along the Platte River.

Crane blind viewing

Crane viewing blinds will be available on a first come-first serve basis at the Conference. These blinds, provided by the Crane Trust, are available for $15/person. There will be a host that will escort you to the viewing blind. The viewing blind tours will leave from the Midtown Holiday Inn at 0530 hrs each morning and 1630 hrs each afternoon. Reservation will be on a first come first serve basis and signup sheets will be available at check-in. Commercial crane blind viewing opportunities are also available via The Nebraska Nature and Visitor Center and Rowe Audubon Sanctuary. Space in these blinds may be reserved in advance through each entity.

Self-guided Trips

Opportunities to view cranes and birdwatching are not limited to the organized field trips. Individuals are encouraged to get out on their own to view the migratory water bird spectacle that is spring in The Central Platte Nebraska. A self guided tour map will be available in registration packet.

Silent Auction

The Waterbird Society will host its traditional Silent Auction on the Wednesday, before the banquet. All participants are encouraged to bring and donate avian artwork, books, etc. Proceeds from the Silent Auction go towards student travel awards for the next Waterbird Society meeting. Further details on the Silent Auction will appear on the Waterbird Society webpage.

Other Activities

The Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Poineer’s Wings Over the Platte Art Exhibit and Sale will be ongoing. Painting, sculpture and photography works will be on exhibit from 25 February to 10 April, 2011.

The North American Crane Working Group and Waterbird Society are grateful to several sponsors for supporting the workshop.

NEWS RELEASE from the U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
Wildlife Agencies Investigating the Deaths of Three Whooping Cranes in South Georgia

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are investigating the suspicious deaths of three whooping cranes in south Georgia.

The cranes were found and reported by hunters in Calhoun County, just west of Albany, Ga., on Dec 30, 2010. The landowner reported the cranes had been in the area for a few weeks before they found them dead just before New Year’s Eve.

Necropsies are expected to be completed in about two weeks.
The cranes are part of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership effort to reintroduce whooping cranes into the eastern United States. These three cranes were released in October 2010 with seven other first-year birds in Wisconsin as part of the Direct Autumn Release program. They generally follow other older whooping cranes and sometime sandhill cranes during the fall migration to find suitable wintering habitat. They were banded and equipped with transmitters and were not part of the ultralight aircraft-led migration effort.
 
Any information concerning the deaths of these cranes should be provided to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agent Terry Hasting at 404-763-7959 (ext. 233).  For more information about the reintroduction effort, visit http://www.bringbackthecranes.org.

Ultralight-led Whooping Cranes Arrive at First Wintering Destination in Florida

December 16, 2010

Five endangered whooping cranes and their surrogate parents, three ultralight aircraft, arrived yesterday at their wintering grounds in Florida after a trek of more than 1,000 miles through seven states.   

Five of the 10 “Class of 2010” ultralight-led cranes arrived yesterday at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Wakulla County, Florida.  The other five ultralight-led whooping cranes will continue to their final destination at the Chassahowitzka NWR in Citrus County, Florida.   

These 10 cranes are the 10th group to be guided by ultralights to Florida from Necedah NWR in central Wisconsin.  The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an international coalition of public and private organizations, is conducting the reintroduction project in an effort to restore this endangered species to part of its historic range in eastern North America.  

“St. Marks has been anticipating the birds’ arrival for months, and the outpouring of community support around Wakulla and Leon counties has been phenomenal,” said Terry Peacock, Refuge Manager at St. Marks NWR. “We are thankful for the help of all of our volunteers who have assisted with preparations around the refuge.”  

In addition to the 10 birds led south by project partner Operation Migration’s ultralights, 10 cranes are making their first southward migration as part of WCEP’s Direct Autumn Release (DAR) program.  

Biologists from the International Crane Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reared the cranes at Necedah NWR and released them in the company of older cranes from whom the young birds will learn the migration route.  The DAR and ultralight-led chicks this year are joining two wild-hatched chicks in the 2010 cohort.   

Whooping cranes that take part in the ultralight and DAR reintroductions are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Md., and at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wis.  Chicks are raised under a strict isolation protocol and to ensure the birds remain wild, handlers adhere to a no-talking rule and wear costumes designed to mask the human form. 

In 2001, Operation Migration’s pilots led the first whooping crane chicks, conditioned to follow their ultralight aircraft surrogates, south from Necedah NWR to Chassahowitzka NWR in Florida.  Each subsequent year, WCEP biologists and pilots have conditioned and guided additional groups of juvenile cranes to Florida. Having been shown the way once, the young birds initiate their return migration in the spring, and in subsequent years, continue to migrate on their own.  In 2008, St. Marks NWR along Florida’s Gulf Coast was added as an additional wintering site for the juvenile cranes.   

In the spring and fall, project staff from the International Crane Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service track and monitor the released cranes in an effort to learn as much as possible about their unassisted journeys and the habitat choices they make both along the way and on their summering and wintering grounds. 

Most of the whooping cranes released in previous years spend the summer in central Wisconsin, where they use areas on or near Necedah NWR, as well as other public and private lands. 

Whooping cranes were on the verge of extinction in the 1940s. Today, there are only about 570 birds in existence, approximately 400 of them in the wild. Aside from the 114 WCEP birds, the only other migrating population of whooping cranes nests at Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta, Canada and winters at Aransas NWR on the Texas Gulf Coast.  A non-migrating flock of approximately 20 birds lives year-round in the central Florida Kissimmee region.   

Whooping cranes, named for their loud and penetrating unison calls, live and breed in wetland areas, where they feed on crabs, clams, frogs and aquatic plants. They are distinctive animals, standing five feet tall, with white bodies, black wing tips and red crowns on their heads. 

WCEP asks anyone who encounters a whooping crane in the wild to please give them the respect and distance they need. Do not approach birds on foot within 200 yards; remain in your vehicle; do not approach in a vehicle within 100 yards.  Also, please remain concealed and do not speak loudly enough that the birds can hear you.  Finally, do not trespass on private property in an attempt to view or photograph whooping cranes.

Aransas: December 9th, 2010

Tom Stehn, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge reports: “The second aerial census of the 2010-11 whooping crane season was conducted December 9, 2010 in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions, Castroville, Texas with USFWS observers Tom Stehn and Brad Strobel.”

Sighted on the flight were 223 adults and 45 juveniles = 268 total whooping cranes.

Photograph by Vickie Henderson

This was an increase of 31 cranes since the previous flight conducted December 1st.  Flight conditions and visibility were excellent throughout the flight.  A low pressure system that had brought howling north winds on December 8th had moved off the coast, followed by clear skies and moderate southeast winds.  With nearly complete flight coverage of the crane area, the 268 cranes counted represents an accurate estimate of the number of cranes present.

One additional whooping crane is known present near Cherokee in northern Oklahoma.  Thus, flock size is at least 269.  Although there have been no additional recent migration reports, as many as 15-20 more whooping cranes are hoped to still be in migration.  Recent reports of whooping cranes at Aransas possibly not located on today’s flight include a group of 9 seen flying over the refuge’s back gate road on December 7, and a single that was observed roosting at Heron Flats Marsh on December 1 and 6 and followed sandhills to forage on pasture land and/or farm fields north of the refuge.

To date, 45 of the 46 juveniles found in mid-August on the nesting grounds have made it safely to Aransas.  The 45 chicks at Aransas include five sets of “twin” chicks, (adult pairs that have brought two chicks each). Five pairs with two chicks each had been sighted in Canada in August. This is the second highest total of “twin” families at Aransas, exceeded only by the 7 sets of “twins” present at Aransas in the 2006 winter.  The two new twin families found on today’s flight were located on Matagorda Island and Welder Flats.

Crane habitat use observed on the census flight:       

• 209 of the 268 cranes observed were in salt marsh habitat.
• 10 were in shallow open bay habitat.
• 8 were on uplands in areas rooted up by feral hogs on Matagorda Island.
• 26 were on uplands with no sign of hog rooting.
• 4 were at a game feeder at Welder Flats.
• 11 were at fresh water sources.

Habitat use by the whooping cranes has changed some over the past week.  A total of 78.0% of the cranes were in salt marsh, whereas the previous week it had been 89.0%.  Upland use observed totaled 34 cranes compared to eight last week, and freshwater use is starting to occur (11 cranes compared to zero last week).  The salinity at a gauge in San Antonio Bay north of Mustang Lake is currently 14.5 parts per thousand (ppt).  Refuge salinities measured on December 6 ranged from 17 to 20 ppt, levels where crane use of fresh water sources starts to be observed.  Blue crabs are still readily available, with 101 crabs counted on a 1,000 meter transect on December 6.  However, the wolfberry crop is nearing an end with only 7 berries and no flowers observed on transects run on December 6.  Tides were also considerably lower this week with exposed mud flats observed on San Jose.  A string of about 100 commercial blue crab traps were noted in the bay edge off of Matagorda Island between Twin lakes and Power Lake.

Tom Stehn, Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

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The first aerial census of the 2010-11 whooping crane season was conducted December 1, 2010 in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions, Castroville, Texas with USFWS observers Tom Stehn and Brad Strobel. Sighted on the flight were 199 adults and 38 juveniles = 237 total whooping cranes.

December 1 – Recap of whooping cranes (237) found at Aransas:

Flight conditions and visibility were excellent throughout the flight as a low pressure system that had brought howling north winds on November 30 had moved off the coast, followed by clear skies and light southeast winds. With nearly complete coverage of the crane area during the flight, the 237 cranes counted represent an accurate estimate of the number of cranes present.

To date, 38 of the 46 juveniles found in mid-August on the nesting grounds have made it safely to Aransas. The 38 chicks include three sets of “twin” chicks, (adult pairs that have brought two chicks each). Five pairs with two chicks each had been sighted in Canada in August. The third set of “twin” chicks to make it to Aransas had spent 21 days (October 29 – November 18) in Brown County, South Dakota observed nearly daily by Jay Peterson, USFWS District Manager of the Sand Lake Wetland Management District. Jay writes:

“What a treat it was for me to see the birds each time, but it was more rewarding for me to be associated with the folks I took with or gave directions to, who did not have whoopers on their life bird list.”

The last 3 of the 10 radioed whooping cranes completed the migration on November 26th, missing their Thanksgiving feast of blue crabs by one day. All 10 radioed cranes are now at Aransas. With no recent sightings reported north of Oklahoma (as of November 29th), it appears the migration is nearing completion. I have my fingers crossed that 50 more whooping cranes will still arrive since I’m hoping for a peak count greater than 285 this winter.

Crane habitat use observed on the census flight:

211 of the 237 cranes observed were in salt marsh habitat.

18 were in shallow open bay habitat.

5 were on uplands in areas rooted up by feral hogs on Matagorda Island.

3 were on grazed pasture oak savannah uplands at Welder Flats.

The cranes are feeding heavily on blue crabs and wolfberries this fall with both of those food items abundant in November. It is possible that the 18 whooping cranes observed in open bay habitat could also have been foraging on blue crab. The largest group size observed during the census was nine birds seen on refuge salt flats just north of the Pipeline. No cranes were observed at freshwater sources since salinities in San Antonio Bay are 14 parts per thousand, low enough for the cranes to drink water directly from the marsh. However, salinities have been rising (they were 9 ppt one week ago) and the area could use rain. Tides were high on today’s flight with all the tidal flats covered with water on San Jose Island. No commercial blue crab traps were found in the crane marshes or within 100 yards of shore. Only a few abandoned traps were seen in the crane marshes that will be targeted for removal during the annual crab trap pickup in February.

The observed proliferation of black mangrove in the crane marshes on Matagorda Island and at Welder Flats is very disturbing. The mangrove completely replaces the former salt marsh vegetation and excludes forage items used by the whooping cranes including Carolina wolfberry and fiddler crab populations. Many acres of marsh have become completely covered with this native species that is moving north as climate change reduces the number of hard freezes. In the past, hard freezes over multiple days limited the northward spread of mangrove since mangrove can only tolerate short spells of freezing temperatures. The last extended extremely hard freeze at Aransas occurred in 1989.

Happy Holidays

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