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Meet
the 2009 Whooping Crane Chicks!
Hatch-year 2009 of the Eastern Flock |
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Crane
# 911
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Date Hatched |
May 11, 2009 |
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Gender |
Male |
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Egg Source |
Calgary Zoo, Canada |
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Permanent (Attached after reaching Florida)
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*Juvenile
band: Black |
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Personality
Notes from
the captive breeding "hatchery" at Patuxent WRC
in Maryland:
The first time a few of the chicks were together outside, 911 did nothing but cry (peep loudly) for the entire time! But he got better.
On June 6 intern Trish, with puppet, was helping experienced trainer Barb Clauss with 910 and 911. Barb left the novice to take the chicks back to their pens. Little 911 decided to stop in a drying mud puddle to forage for worms when he spotted a moth. He chased after it, darting high and low and missing the moth each time. After the moth flew away, the "puppet" managed to get 911's attention again and got him moving through the gates of the pens. Chick 910 stayed near Trish/puppet, trilling and pecking at the worms while he waited. But not 911! He turned around and started running full speed in the opposite direction! Luckily Barb eventually came to the rescue, which is when "911 behaved like an angel," said Trish!
He was soon paired with 910 for socializing and soon they were spending days and nights together, doing just fine in the pond, grass and pen. These two will be part of Cohort One, the oldest and the first group of birds to be shipped to Wisconsin for flight school before migration in October.
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Cohort
1 FLYING Aug. 17 Photo Bev Paulan, Operation Migration
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Notes
of Flight School in Wisconsin:
Male #911 was transported to Wisconsin with the other oldest chicks
(Cohort One) on June 25. He adjusted well to his new home and was ready
for flight school right away. He made quick progress in flapping, hopping,
striding and running alongside the ultralight, and he was flying by July
20. By
early August cohort one was flying circles over the training
areas. By
mid-August they were flying larger and longer circuits. The pilots
are pleased with 911's progress and cooperation.
On Sep. 26 he refused to stay with the ultralight when his cohort was led over to the site where the other birds have been together since Sep. 5. Finally, four days later (Sep. 30), pilot Chris was successful in leading #911 and #903 over to complete the move. All the Class of 2009 is together at one pen site. That same day, he flew again during a training session with his cohort One mates.
| First Migration South: Chick #911 (and 14 others!) turned back to Necedah NWR when the Class of 2009 left on their first migration on October 16, 2009. They all had to try again the next day to follow the ultralights to the migration's first stopover site, where five flockmates landed on Day 1. Find day-by-day news about the flock's migration and read more about #911 below. |
| Oct. 20 (Still trying to reach Stopover #1): Today #911 hung back and wouldn’t come out of the wet pen when the pilots came to pick up and lead the chicks still at Necedah to join their pals at Stopover #1. Poor Erin got a freezing cold soaking trying to coax him out of the watery part of the pen into the dry part and out the door. He wasn't the only chick who didn't cooperate. Only one bird flew off with Joe, and 8 are still at the old pen at Necedah NWR. |
Oct. 27: On today's flight crane 911 (and several others) turned back again to old Stopover #1 and had to be boxed and driven to Stopover #2. Nov. 1: Hooray! 911 (and ALL the others!) flew the distance to Stopover #3. No crates needed! |
Last updated: 11/02/09
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