[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]
Posted by Bill Pranty on 10:05:42 09/29/07
In Reply to: Whooping Crane posted by Roger Moyer
Good morning Roger,
If you did see Whooping Cranes near Tallahassee last week, they were not part of the migratory flock from Necedah Refuge. This flock is still in Wisconsin, and the birds (all juveniles) are led by ultralight aircraft as a single flock, which numbers eight birds this year. The flocks leaves Wisconsin sometime in Oct and arrives in Florida sometime in Nov (http://www.bringbackthecranes.org/media/2007/nr-062007.html).
Perhaps you saw some cranes from a previous year's flock that migrate on their own (i.e., no ultralight), but I couodn't find any info on the web as to when these migrate to Chassahowitzka NWR south of Crystal River.
Regardless, your sighting is unprecedented in the Panhandle.
Best regards,
Bill Pranty
Bayonet Point, Florida
[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TAS BirdBoard ] [ FAQ ]