Re: OT-CHAT: Whooping Cranes

This is totally off the topic of irises, but several of you have asked
offlist about the Endangered Whooping Crane restoration project, so
here's a brief update.

They are in Tennessee this week!

16 youngsters born this spring have followed their ultralite aircraft
"mommies" and constumed handlers from Necedah Wildlife Refuge in
Wisconsin to Tennessee's Hiwassee Refuge (about an hour south of where I
live).  I got to see them fly in Tues (I think?) this week and saw them
try to fly out again yesterday morning.  The cranes liked it so much
here <g>, they wouldn't follow the aircraft as well as they need to do
to make it all the way to Georgia, so the 14 most uncooperative will try
again this morning.  The cooperative 4 are on the ground waiting for
them in Georgia.

Biggest news is that all 5 of last years crop of babies, after following
the aircraft south in the fall, made it back on their own in the spring,
a male and female 'played house' all summer, and one of the 5 flew all
the way from Wisconsin to Chassahowitska (sp?) refuge on the west coast
of Florida in 6 days this week.  She is #7, a very independent lady, who
split off from the other 4 birds during last year's migration north.
Reminds me of another #7, the Star Trek character, Seven of Nine <g>.

The other 4 babies from last year are on their way south as well and at
least one was also at the Hiwassee Refuge part of this week.

At their lowest point, the entire global population of Whooping Cranes
was down to only 15, one less than is in this single flock of juveniles.

They need one more ultralite.  Anybody have a spare they aren't using
they'd like to donate?

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8

Tennessee Whooping Crane Walkathon:
<http://www.whoopingcranesovertn.org>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
iris-talk/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
iris-photos/Mallorn archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>

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