An Unexpected Separation, September 22, 2006
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Whooper
Reintroduction Updates
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| Photo by Richard Urbanek, USFWS |
Current Trip:
Summer 2006: Monitoring the
Whooping Cranes
Entry September 22
An Unexpected
Separation, September 22, 2006
In recent weeks, the larger of the two wild chicks at Necedah National
Wildlife Refuge has sometimes wandered away from his family. On
September 12, however, it was the parents with just one chick that flew
off the territory and landed at the south end of the refuge. The second
chick stayed behind.
Refuge
Manager Larry Wargowsky happened upon the family, feeding on
grasshoppers near a road. We were uneasy about this location, and also
wanted to reunite the family, so we captured the chick and returned him
to the territory. The parents, however, did not return as we had
expected that evening. The two chicks roosted alone that night, not
together. The next day the chick we had moved flew back to the parents,
and the threesome used a wetland at the south end of the refuge the
rest of the week.
We could not locate the second chick again.
As we were concerned about its fate, on two different days Operation
Migration flew ultralight aircraft low over the territory –
we are
confident that the chick is not still there alive, and that no predator
caught him there, unless the body has been buried. The white splash of
feathers at a kill site would be easy to spot from the air.
The
rest of the family is now back on its territory. This week, I attended
a project planning meeting at the refuge headquarters, in a room that
overlooks Necedah wetlands. Carefully selecting seats with optimal
view, Larry and I spotted the family flying in to land a few hundred
yards out our window. For over an hour, while attending closely to the
deep discussions, we watched the family foraging. One or more birds
often disappeared from view – the wetland plants are tall
this time of
year. I have watched many whooping cranes in Wisconsin since our
project began in 2001, but this time is one of my favorite –
the birds
came to us. Tiny figures in the distance, the whooping cranes have
become part of our landscape.
We believe the second chick flew
out of the territory. Quite likely it found other whooping cranes, or
perhaps sandhills, and maybe it has joined them. It is surprising how
easily big white birds blend into the landscape. Many, many times,
driving about Necedah, we cannot see whooping cranes that we know are
there. The ICF staff who study sandhill crane families at Briggsville,
Wisconsin tell us we should not assume this chick has come to a bad
end. They have often been surprised to rediscover chicks.
We are
surprised by the behavior of this special family, Wisconsin’s
first.
Yet, as we think about what is normal, we realize that no one has ever
had such intimate opportunity to watch the wild whooping cranes on
their Wood Buffalo, Canada breeding grounds when the chicks are
fledging. And although parents often succeed for some time with two
chicks, few families arrive on the wintering grounds with twins.
Update by Jim Harris, ICF
This email is generated by the International Crane Foundation located
at E11376 Shady Lane Road, Baraboo, WI. 53913. Visit our website!
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