Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

Fly Away Home—and Beyond
Created by Heather Ray

Clip: Fly Away Home--and Beyond
(6 minutes)
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Tips

If you saw the film “Fly Away Home,” you know a bit about the beginnings of Operation Migration. See some clips from “Fly Away Home” and other highlights of the experiment that led to the first human-led migration of an endangered species: the 2001 migration with the first Whoopers of the new Eastern flock. You’ll see the Canada geese ultralight flight from “Fly Away Home,.” Then see glimpses of the hatching, training, and first migration of the HY2001 chicks.

Fun facts from Heather Ray, who put the video together:

The music is "10,000 Miles" sung by Mary Chapin-Carpenter.
Joe Duff and Bill Lishman were the first ever to fly ultralight aircraft across the width of Lake Ontario. Joe doesn't swim. They wore float suits, just in case — but you'll also notice a "chase boat" below them in one shot.
The city over which the geese are flying is supposed to be downtown Toronto; however, this shot was digitally created for the movie. The guys never actually led the geese through the largest city in Canada.
The shot of the two little girls in bathing suits near the beginning is Anna Paquin (Amy in the film) and Carmen (Bill Lishman's daughter). They were the same age when the filming occurred and they spent a lot of "down-time" together.
The early aircraft shots are of Bill in the “Easy Riser.” He crashed many times before he figured it out!

Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).