A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO SEE ENDANGERED WHOOPING CRANES!
The Whooping Crane is the most famous endangered bird in North America. In part because it is large, distinctive, and photogenic and partly because, since 1967, Canadians and Americans have cooperated in a successful recovery program to safeguard it from extinction. OPERATION MIGRATION is an organization that promotes the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnership. Every year, they leave Wisconsin and lead young whooping cranes to Florida behind an ultralight – thereby teaching them how to migrate. The birds spend the winter at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. When the weather is warmer, the cranes fly back to Wisconsin (or wherever they decide to go), on their own. For more information, go to OPERATION MIGRATION’s website: http://www.operationmigration.org/index.html
(Click on photos to enlarge.)
There were alot people out in the freezing cold this morning
to catch a glimpse of five whooping cranes.
Super-cute guy from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service being interviewed
Everybody was anxiously awaiting the cranes
Pilot Richard van Heuvelen had 1 crane with him
Pilot Joe Duff had 4 cranes with him
This is an awesome sight!!
The flyover is at the Dunnellon Airport every year
Seriously, could anything in life be more fun than this ??
(Click the play button to play the video)
