Hi: Have you heard about Operation Migration? Whooping Cranes are endangered. Scientists are trying to build up the winter colony in coastal Texas, and establish a winter Florida colony. The Texas group, and part of the Florida group, breed near the Canadian border. There is also a small resident population in central Florida. Anyway, people are hatching the chicks in Maryland, taking them to Wisconsin, and teaching them the migration routes by having them follow an ultralight airplane. The latest batch arrived in Florida about 3 weeks ago. Florida also has a migratory, and a resident population of Sandhill Cranes, which are not endangered. They are called Gulf Course Cranes, since they like to feed in large grassy areas, also newly plowed fields, looking for bugs and worms. This photo was taken at our local county park, near St. Augustine, in Feb. These bird hung around for a few days, very tame. Just to the left of the photo, a cat was stalking them. So funny, the cat got to within 10 feet of the birds, realized how big they were, and retreated with dignity to its property.
