Whooping Crane cam

The Operation Migration 'crane cam' is up and running.
http://www.ustream.tv/migratingcranes
Volunteers train young whooping cranes to follow ultralights so they will learn to migrate.
The migration is underway and there is a live cam where you can follow them. When they are flying, the cam is attached to the ultralight so you can get the same view they do. The route comes right near my house (I'm 8 miles from one of their stops) and I've actually seen them in a fly over several years ago.

When the conditions are not good for flying, they fix the cam to the travel pen so you can check in on the cranes during the day. (today is a down day, and they're exercising them in a field)

Here's their main website where you can follow along with the pilots Field Journals: http://www.operationmigration.org/index.html

I just thought birders would enjoy seeing everything. It's a wonderful program.

Very interesting site! Too bad there wasn't much going on today, due to weather, but, I will be checking it out in the future. Thank-You for sharing!

It was really fun earlier...the costumed 'surrogate mamas' had them out in the field and when they flapped their arms, the young cranes took off and flew around the field. The pen is interesting too...check in several times a day...they give the colts pumpkins and boy to they love to play with them and stab them. Whooping cranes love pumpkin and they get grapes as treats.

They're getting ready to pick up the cranes right now!
Ultralights are in the air headed for the pen!

Would love to see this!! Channel was offline when I checked in.

They're in the air right now!

Darn!

They flew over 50 miles today and are in central Illinois now. All 9 birds have finally got the hang of 'migrating' and all completed the flight without incident. They started with 10 birds, but one got lost and is now hanging out with about 250 sandhills (they found her, but she likes the sandhills better)

Here's the link to their Field Journal: http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html

Keep your fingers crossed for them to stop in Kentucky. The Marshall Co. stop is about 8 miles from my house: http://www.operationmigration.org/migration_map.html
They've skipped us the last 2 years because of good flying days (and I can't blame them for that) but I did get to see them at the flyover 3 years ago.

If they stop, I'll be sure to get pictures!

Cranes are now in the air!
http://www.ustream.tv/migratingcranes

The crane cam is live and they are headed my way. If they don't skip this stop, they'll be landing about 8 miles from me in about an hour!

Still in the air an hour on (14.38 UTC) so looks like they may be keeping going . . .

Resin

Nope...they stopped!!!!
They've skipped us the last two years and I was holding my breath.

Had some crosswinds that slowed progress.

Going to the flyover spot tomorrow morning at dawn...tomorrow looks like a good day to fly too. I'll get pictures...and maybe even write an article.

Here's a shot from 3 years ago. I hope to get even better ones this year since I know what to expect.

Close up of the cranes. These are juveniles and still have splotches of cinnamon brown feathers here and there...mostly on their backs.

Today's article is about the flyover yesterday: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/3507/

The cranes are in the air for the third day in a row right now! See them fly on the CraneCam
http://www.operationmigration.org/crane-cam.html

I was fortunate to hear about 4 of them hanging around less than 20 miles from home a couple years ago. They had radio collars on their legs, so I revisited when I could get them in a better looking spot with their legs obstructed.

Here is a pair. They are very unique looking birds.

This message was edited Dec 12, 2011 5:12 PM

Wow! That's fantastic!

I understand they had veered off course and ended up in SW Minnesota. They were in the same area for a couple weeks in the fall. They were really fun to watch.

This message was edited Dec 12, 2011 5:53 PM