Whooping Crane Update

Nineteen whooping crane "chicks" are enroute to Florida from Wisconsin. At last report, they were near the Tennessee-Georgia border, being led by ultralight pilots.

The young whooping cranes are a crucial part of a joint program of volunteers and government agencies devoted to one of the most endangered species of wildlife. Each year about twenty whooping cranes are hatched in captivity and trained to follow an ultralight airplane. In early October, the cranes are led on what will become their migration route to the Florida refuge where they spend the winter prior to joining the trainees from the past five years for annual unassisted future migrations.

With clear weather and favorable tail winds, the young birds are expected to pass over Crystal River in early December. Operation Migration, the umbrella group for the whooping crane recovery program will announce the date and location of the last leg of the migration. Crane enthusiasts and birders in general gather each year to watch the "flyover" in Crystal River. You may follow the daily progress of the flock on www.operationmigration.org or check www.cedarkeynews.com for updates as the birds approach Florida.

The birds did not fly Friday, December 2, due to windy conditions. At this point, look for a flyover of Crystal River about December 10.