DAR Crane Completes Migration to Florida! January 6, 2009

DAR (Direct Autumn Release) whooping crane #37-08 has completed her migration to Florida! Joining her in the Sunshine State is #10-08 (the whooping crane removed from the ultralight cohort). These two birds are the first cranes from the Class of 2008 to complete their migration to Florida. 

On January 1, 12 whooping cranes were seen in north-central Florida. ICF Tracking Intern Rosemary Hartman later confirmed that the two juvenile cranes from 2008 were amongst this group of adult cranes. 

The other four 2008 DAR cranes are currently in Lawrence County, Tennessee with older whooping crane #16-02. The weather has unfortunately been uncooperative for the Operation Migration crew. They have been grounded for a week in Chilton County, Alabama. 

Update by Joan Garland, ICF Education Outreach Coordinator. Report provided by Sara Zimorski, ICF Aviculturist. Photo by Eva Szyszkoski, ICF Tracking Field Manager.