Comparing Migrations Led by Ultralight Planes 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Fall 2011 Event To Florida Target date for departure October 8, 2011 Actual date of departure October 9, 2011 Number of birds at takeoff 10 Number of birds surviving fall migration 10 (incl. now-wild #2) Date migration ends February 4, 2012 Total days of fall migration 119 days Number of actual flight days (progress made) i i Number of no-fly days (grounded or turned back) i i Longest flight (in distance) i i Total miles flown Days on Wintering Grounds i i Number of birds before spring migration i i Number of birds surviving spring migration i i NOTES from the day-by-day stories: For the first time since ultralight-led migration began in 2001,the migration was cut short when the birds themselves decided in Alabama that they were done migrating. They finished the migration by road, being transported to winter at Alabama's Wheeler NWR—and NOT in Florida as planned. It was 119 days after the young cranes departed Wisconsin. For the first time since ultralight-led migration began, one of the birds (#2-11) got away and joined a wild flock of sandhill cranes. She successfully completed fall migration by following them to Florida. This ultralight-led migration too longest of all, due to many weather delays as well as a time out for the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to investigate and grant a waiver for Operation Migration pilots to fly this type of aircraft. On average, the first five ultralight-led migrations took 55 days from start to finish. By comparison, the second five fall journeys averaged 85 days, the equivalent of an extra month. The trend toward ever-longer migrations is continuing.