Personality and History

Personality Characteristics: This may be the dominant bird in the cohort and is a good follower--if pilots can keep his attention. They have used the Swamp Monster to convince 310 not to venture off into the marsh; it seemed to work. Good sized, aggressive and dominant, even though he's a younger bird in this flock.
Migration South: Flew all but 68.3 miles.

History: Attained his adult voice Feb. 1-7, 2004.
Spring 2004: Began first migration north at 9:33 a.m. March 30, 2004 in a group of eight 2003 flock mates (301, 303, 305, 309, 312, 316, 318, 319). (Follow the group's progress to April 9 in the entry for 301.) On April 9 the group separated south of Celina, Ohio. The group of five (301, 305, 309, 318, and 319) was stymied by being on an unfamiliar side of Lake Michigan. (Again see Crane #301 for updates on this group that stayed in Michigan.)

Fall 2004: Began fall migration from Mason County, Michigan, on Nov. 7. with #305, 309 and 301. Perhaps spooked by witnessing the death of their flock mate, #305 on Nov. 13/14, this crane together with #301 and #309 moved northward the next day to Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center in Georgetown County, South Carolina. After several short northward flights, the three began moving south. Found in Jones County, NC.

Spring 2005: Departed Jones County, NC on migration March 30 with #301 and #309. Seen April 6 with #301 and #309 in western New York state, just across the Penn. border. They apparently followed the Lake Michigan lakeshore NE. Unconfirmed sightings and PTT readings put them on the east side of Lake Huron on April 13. This would mean they would have to somehow get around two of the Great Lakes to make it home. The Tracking team may need to capture and relocate the birds back to Wisconsin in an effort to reorient them. On April 15 the three were confirmed in Ontario, east of Lake Huron. They will most likely be returned to Wisconsin in an attempt to reorient them. With two of the Great Lakes separating them from the core introduction area, there is little likelihood they would make it back on their own. For now, they need to be in proximity to the rest of the population. The more opportunity they have to mingle, the greater the chance of proper mate selection and eventually breeding. Still with #301 on April 16 when a PTT reading indicated that #301 roosted in Algonquin Provincial Park near the Quebec border and then left the following morning. Low-quality readings for #301 on April 17-20 showed movement southbound to near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. The next reported sighting of #301 and #318 was on April 22 in a harvested cornfield on the southern shore of Georgian Bay. The two were still there
on 25 April. (No reports of the third crane, #309, being with them since 14 April.) On April 27, #301 and #318 left Owen Sound and were seen near Tobermory (northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario). Next confirmed in Chippewa Cty. on April 29. Then poor quality PTT readings in mid May indicate they had flown southward into the north-central Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Sure enough, 301 and 318 were finally confirmed by a citizen sighting 22 May in central Missaukee Co, MI. On the evening of June 30, #301 and #318 were successfully captured in Michigan by WCEP trackers. They were flown by aircraft to the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge and released. Both birds appear to be well. Hooray!

Fall 2005: Began migration on November 21. Reported wintering in North Carolina's Columbus County and also Reeve County.The team is concerned about his welfare at this location because he seems to be getting used to local vehicular traffic and nearness of humans.

Spring 2006: Departed on migration April 1 or 2. Seen in Montcalm County, Michigan in March. retrieved from Mason County in spring 2005 and spent that summer in the
Necedah NWR area.

Fall 2006: #318 was reported Oct. 20 with a small number of sandhill cranes in Mason County, Michigan. He was seen in early December and not again until Feb. 2. On that date a Whooping crane believed to be #318 was reported in South Carolina in the same wintering area he occupied last year.

Spring 2007: He apparently began migration from South Carolina on March 19 or 20. A whooping crane reportedin Kalamazoo County, Michigan, on March 21 may have been #318. In April he was in a wetlands area in Oceana County, MI, sometimes with Sandhill Cranes. On May 8 he was on farmlands and small wetlands in Mason County, Michigan, but was gone when that area was next checked on 14 May 14. He returned to Necedah NWR on May 27 — his first ever successfully completed, unassisted spring migration in four years of migrating! He had apparently finally been able to navigate his way around Lake Michigan. HOORAY!

Fall 2007: Male #318 left Wisconsin on migration on November 22 with female 313. They were reported with #506 in Alabama on December 27-30. They arrived at their old Florida pen site at Chass on January 5 and roosted there along with #309 and #403. The group of five moved the next day to Sumter County and moved again on January 7, when they separated in flight. Cranes #313 and #318 were tracked to Putnam County, Florida, but they continued wandering.