Topic: Operation Migration

[Nichi]

It is amazing that these people have undertaken such a program.

Yes!   A mad and wild idea on behalf of the creatures, seen through to its end. Gives one hope about our species!

[Nichi]

They've stood down today (and the past 2 days) due to bad winds, but the next flight they make will be their last one. So if you are interested, you might want to check for the time adjustment and calculate for whatever equals 7am CDT in your zone.  When they go, they don't necessarily go precisely at "7am" - that's really give or take an hour or so.  But be on the lookout starting at that time and keep checking back. This flight they're making is a relatively short one.

All I can tell you is that watching it can make you very happy.
(Warning: the ultralight engine is very loud ... I had to turn my sound off while watching the flight.)

Only 28 miles separate the St. Marks five from their current location in Jefferson County, FL and their new winter home at the St. Marks NWR in Wakulla County. 28 miles seems like a short hop compared to some of the recent flights logged by the young Whooping cranes and their ultralight leaders but weather conditions still need to be ideal.

http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html

[Nichi]

Putting this thread in "action" - don't know why I never thought to do that before.

[Nichi]

<span data-s9e-mediaembed="youtube" style="display:inline-block;width:100%;max-width:640px"><span style="display:block;overflow:hidden;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" scrolling="no" style="background:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NXY9fsK9mNY/hqdefault.jpg) 50% 50% / cover;border:0;height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;width:100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NXY9fsK9mNY"></iframe></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NXY9fsK9mNY?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/NXY9fsK9mNY?fs=1</a>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXY9fsK9mNY&feature=channel

[Nichi]

<span data-s9e-mediaembed="youtube" style="display:inline-block;width:100%;max-width:640px"><span style="display:block;overflow:hidden;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" scrolling="no" style="background:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Prd57DTzqoA/hqdefault.jpg) 50% 50% / cover;border:0;height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;width:100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Prd57DTzqoA"></iframe></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Prd57DTzqoA?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Prd57DTzqoA?fs=1</a>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prd57DTzqoA&feature=related

[Michael]

I sat up for an hour last night but aside from a long period of taxiing around on the ground and then shots of beautiful landscape in the morning light, nothing happened. The guy - Brad I think - seemed to have forgotten to turn the camera around, to view behind him. Then it disconnected for so long I just had to get off to bed.

I'll look again Friday night if they are still at it.

[Nichi]

Awww, that's a shame - that happened on a couple of the events I caught too - it took them awhile to get the camera angle right.

I'm checking about more cam adventures for 2010 - they referenced this leg today as the final leg, but in the field notes it says that the mission is "half" accomplished. So I'm confused about what more may be to come.

Here's the Class of 2008, from a different angle completely.

<span data-s9e-mediaembed="youtube" style="display:inline-block;width:100%;max-width:640px"><span style="display:block;overflow:hidden;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" loading="lazy" scrolling="no" style="background:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zJW153EXsH8/hqdefault.jpg) 50% 50% / cover;border:0;height:100%;left:0;position:absolute;width:100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zJW153EXsH8"></iframe></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/zJW153EXsH8?fs=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/zJW153EXsH8?fs=1</a>

[Nichi]

The last flyover set to "after the New Year".


Date: December 17, 2010 - Entry 3 Reporter: Joe Duff
Subject: SHORT-STOPPING IN GILCHRIST COUNTY Location: Gilchrist Co., FL
Flown Today: 0 Miles Total Miles 1171.9
For the first time in a couple of years, we made it before Christmas.

In 2005, we began short-stopping the birds at the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve site. The idea was to wait until all of the older cranes, that normally stop in at the pensite in Chassahowitzka on their return migration had a chance to visit. When they found no activity and no free food, they moved on and left the coast clear for us to bring the chicks in. If however, the chicks were already there, that encouraged them to hang around. They would sometime dominate the food and even chase the chicks out of the pen where they were susceptible to predation.

Short-stopping has been the practice until the last few years when we arrived well after Christmas and the majority of older birds had already moved on.

This year we are back to arriving earlier. Maybe it had to do with the better weather, or fewer birds, but either way we are again facing the problem of the older generations. It is hard to believe that I am actually complaining about too many Whooping cranes.

The last edition of Plan B – 248, Variation 6 was to get the birds to the Halpata site and participate in the flyover at the Dunnellon Airport on the way. Then we were going to stand down for the holiday season and wait for the tracking team to give us the all clear. That would happen when the majority of older birds finished their migration and were safely on their preferred wintering sites. Then we would come back and complete the last 28 mile leg to the Chassahowitzka pensite.

Unfortunately, the weather this morning did not cooperate. Low ceilings and light rain kept us on the ground as surely as did the headwinds yesterday. Tomorrow's outlook is dismal. In the long range forecast, there is a very slim possibility for a flight Sunday, and maybe even for Monday if you are an optimist. But, we have been there before. We could wish ourselves all the way to Christmas that way.

So now, the plan is to stand down here in Gilchrist County and wait for the older birds to pass through Chassahowitzka. When we get the go-ahead we will come back in the New Year and lead the chicks, first to Halpata and finally to the refuge pensite. For now, the crew is organizing, packing and readying vehicles for the trip back north.

We are sorry that we could not give you a final flyover before Christmas, but maybe in the new year you will need something to celebrate and you will join us to see the Class of 2010 complete their first migration.

http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html

[Michael]

Thanks for keeping us up to date - they had nothing last night.

[Nichi]

http://www.operationmigration.org/crane-cam.html

The Last Leg

7am Central - which, as my mind transposes, is
~midnight for New South Wales
~3pm for Estonia and South Africa
~2pm for Sweden and Czech Republic
~8am for Maine and Virginia
~5am Las Vegas, Washington State, Joshua Tree, and British Columbia

Please double-check my figures!

All this is barring bad weather.

[Nichi]

The Class of 2010

[Nichi]

[Michael]

I see their little brains ticking off the landmarks - registering the pathway for the future. So exciting to see humans take a cooperative role in the survival of a species. How we should be on this planet.

[Michael]

Yep, finally got to see them last night - for awhile anyway till they floated out of camera shot. One was quite close. It is a real thrill when you see them live!

[Nichi]

Yes, for me too!

Just watched the final landing. That large body of water in the distance was the Gulf. Boy, they have dangerous times ahead, between being so close to the Gulf with all the toxins and oil , and taking their chances with insane people shooting at them.