Date: March 15, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Craniac Kid Rocks! Location: Main Office We may be between migration and hatch, but that doesn't mean off-season or inactivity for us at OM. Far from it. We're busy as beavers, and that goes for many of our volunteers who help us out behind the scenes as well. Someone else who hasn't been idle is Ann Howden, daughter of OM member Margaret Howden of New Glarus, WI. We've been told that Ann is a 24/7 enthusiastic supporter of OM and Whooping cranes. Ann chose to do her science fair project on Operation Migration and the science behind the ultralight-led Whooping crane migration. Not only did she receive an "Outstanding" rating from the judge, she was specially commended for her in-depth knowledge of the subject. How can we not be hopeful for the future of Whooping cranes and other wildlife and their habitats when we hear about Craniac Kids like Ann. Such interest and efforts are on their own, enough to inspire anyone. Congratulations to Ann from the OM Team! Date: March 13, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: REFUGE SYSTEM ANNIVERSARY Location: Main Office Today, March 14th, is the 105th anniversary of the National Refuge System. We have two suggestions for a way to celebrate. Why not visit a refuge near you, and perhaps inquire about opportunities to volunteer there if you have some spare time. Another great way is to buy a Duck Stamp to help with wetland habitat conservation. All but 30 cents of the $15 cost of a Duck Stamp is used for the acquisition or lease of new wetland/grassland habitats. This initiative, which is administered through the National Wildlife Refuge System, is one of the most effective and successful conservation programs ever. Your support mean will help them to continue to preserve America's disappearing wildlife habitat. Duck Stamps are available at most post offices and sporting good stores. To find a place near you that offers the stamps, call the Federal Duck Stamp Office at 888-534-0400. Date: March 13, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject:  WAYS TO HELP Location: Main Office People often write to ask how they can help besides being a member or donor. There are many ways, but here is a really simple one. Wear your OM gear when you are 'out and about'. Having people see that you support Operation Migration is of great value. In addition to helping raise awareness for the project, it may present opportunities for you to 'recruit' new Craniacs. So don your OM t-shirt, sweatshirt or cap - getting spotted in your OM gear will help Whooping cranes get the attention they deserve. With our limited resources, one of the most difficult things to do is to 'get the word out.' Whether by sporting our logo'd clothing or having a Craniac sticker on your vehicle, you'll become immediately identifiable as part of the effort to safeguard the Whooping crane, and be providing more 'advertising and promotion' than we could ever hope to achieve corporately. Date: March 12, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Joe Duff Subject:  NEW VIDEOS Location: Main Office The 2007 migration turned out to be a marathon of epic proportions, taking every ounce of will, stamina, and patience that the entire OM team could muster. Attempting to encapsulate the 97 days spent on migration in any form for you to read at home is difficult. Yet throughout the 2007 (and early 2008) migration, we have attempted to do just that, illustrating our work through writing, photographs, and the occasional video. Throughout the migration you would have shared in our growing frustrations as mother nature continued to plot against us. Day after day it seemed the weather would not cooperate, leaving us staring at the skies with a few choice words in mind. Yet, as the saying goes, “every cloud has a silver lining.” For us, that silver lining was the unadulterated joy we felt when flying alongside these magnificent birds. While we’d like to share the pleasure of flying with the cranes with everyone, logistics and laws make this impossible. Nonetheless, I’d like to do my best to share this experience with you. In the site map section of our website, we have created a link to our now complete 2007 Migration Video Journal. Here you can view 23 videos illustrating many aspects of our work, and perhaps, share in a little bit of the joy. To visit the link directly, click here or visit www.operationmigration.org/videos. I’ve been asked by our technical people to remind you that the videos may take a while to load, but be assured that they all work. Date: March 11, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject:  EASTERN MIGRATORY POPULATION UPDATE Location: Main Office This update for the period ended March 8 was compiled from data supplied by WCEP's Winter Monitoring & Tracking Team. The estimated maximum size of the Eastern Migratory Population is remains at 76; 40 males and 36 females.  * = females; DAR = Direct Autumn Release. FLORIDA - 5 Lake County: 402 * 412 Marion County: 516 Pasco County: DAR626; DAR627 Chassaohowitzka NWR - 17 The juveniles roosted on or near the man-made oyster bar each night with several exceptions. 15 Birds were led/herded, called, or flushed into the pen on Feb. 24; 10 on Feb. 25; 10 on Feb. 26; and 1 (703) on Mar. 8. Around sunset on Feb. 29 a lone, northbound female Sandhill crane landed at the pensite. She was met with aggression but as the juveniles settled to roost for the night she joined them on the oyster bar in the pen. The Sandhill left the pensite early the following afternoon. Maturation Retaining their chick voices are: 710, 717, 722, 733, and 735. Water Levels/Salinity Highest recorded tide at the center of the oyster bar was 29 inches on the evening of Feb 26. The Monitoring Team did not measure the higher tides associated with the storm activity on the Mar. 7PM and Mar. 8AM. Salinity ranged from 18 – 21 parts per thousand during the past two weeks. Health Concerns 735 continues to have lack of extension of his right wing. She was held longer than normal when handlers had difficulty fitting her band at the time of the health checks on Feb. 4 and hasn’t been flying. An examination by vets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on March 3rd found muscle atrophy due to lack of use of the wing but no fractures or other injuries that would prevent recovery of her flight capabilities were detected. Recovery is not expected before spring migration. No plan for this bird has been determined. SOUTH CAROLINA - 4 Colleton County: 310 & 501*; 311 & 312* (last checked Feb. 29 & 26 respectively.) TENNESSEE - 12 Meigs County: 105, 420*; 520*; DAR528* (all as of last report Feb. 27); DARs 737; 739*; 742*; 743*; 744*; 746* Davidson County: 401 & 508* ALABAMA - 2 Morgan County: 213 & 218* INDIANA - 1 Greene County: 102* (as of Mar. 2) LOCATION UNKNOWN - 6 - 209* & 416 – last recorded in Carroll County, GA Feb. 2. (2 birds reported Feb. 7 in Lowndes County may have been this pair.) - 303* & 317 last recorded in Marion County, FL Feb. 5 - 509 last recorded in Lake County, FL Jan. 11 - 512 last recorded in Paynes Prairie area, FL Dec. 29 LONG TERM MISSING (MORE THAN 90 DAYS) - 6 - 201*NFT last recorded in WI June 9 - 205NFT last recorded at Necedah NWR, WI Oct. 16 - 307 last recorded in northeastern GA Nov. 30 - 524 NFT last recorded at Jasper-Pulaski FWA, IN Nov. 23 - 503 & 507* last recorded in Wood County, WI May 26 ON SPRING MIGRATION - 23 CRANE # LEFT FROM (County) LAST LOCATION (County) 101 Feb. 29 Citrus, FL Gordon, GA on Mar. 1 107* Feb 14 Meigs, TN Jackson, IN on Feb. 26 211 & 217* Feb. 16-17 ? Not reported 212 & 419* Mar. 6 Pasco, FL Not reported 216 Feb. 29 Pasco, FL Not reported 316 Feb. 24-26 Marion, FL Not reported 318 & 313* See Note A Unknown Madison, FL on Mar. 10 403 & 309* Feb. 28 Levy, FL Madison, FL on Feb 28 408 Feb. 26 Hillsborough, FL Fulton, GA Feb. 29 (maybe) 505 & 415* Feb 28-Mar 2 Meigs, TN Jackson, IN on Mar. 2 506 Mar. 4 Sumter, FL Not reported 511 Feb. 24-26 Marion, FL Not reported 514 Feb. 26 Hillsborough, FL Fulton, GA Feb. 29 (maybe) 519* Feb. 26 Hillsborough, FL Fulton, GA Feb. 29 (maybe) DAR527* Feb 28-Mar 3 Meigs, TN Jackson, IN on Mar. 3 DAR533* Feb. 14-26 Meigs, TN Jackson, IN on Mar. 2 W601* Mar. 9 Hernando, FL Thomas, GA on Mar. 9 DAR740* March 1 or 2 Obion, TN Gifford, IN on Mar. 2 Note A: 318 and 313* had not been found since January 7 when they were detected in flight over Putnam County, FL. Their wintering location has never been determined. Note B: An unidentified pair of Whooping cranes was reported in a flock of Sandhills in Warren County, KY Mar. 6-7. Note C: A single adult Whooping crane was reported with large numbers of migrating Sandhills in Starke County, IN on Mar. 8-9. Date: March 9, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject:  WOOD BUFFALO-ARANSAS POPULATION UPDATE Location: Main Office Following his most recent aerial survey, Aransas NWR’s Whooping crane coordinator, Tom Stehn estimated that the flock size remained at a record 266 birds; 144 adults, 83 sub-adults and 39 juveniles. "With the exception of one juvenile last sighted in November at Muleshoe NWR, I think all the Whooping cranes are still at Aransas," said Stehn. "Other than for a few birds, it is usually not until the last week in March that some of the cranes start the migration. The majority of Whooping cranes remain at Aransas into April. They know from experience that conditions are still frozen up north," he said. "So far, so good," Tom said, commenting on the fact that there had been no evidence of any mortalities over the winter. Lobstick, a male crane banded in 1978, that had difficulty flying earlier in the winter has apparently fully recovered. He is the oldest known-aged bird in the population. One of its two chicks may be ill however. On several occasions Tom observed the chick sitting down, a behavior that often indicates illness. Healthy cranes rest standing up. "On this flight crane locations indicated a shift in habitat use," noted Tom. "Eleven cranes were on prescribed burns; 4 in uplands, and 10 at or near fresh water sources. Bay salinities were 20PPT when measured March 6, a level at which some cranes will move to seek out fresh water to drink. Tom said it was notable that 47 cranes (17.7% of the flock) were in open bay habitat, presumably foraging on clams and other invertebrates. "Blue crabs can occasionally be encountered in open bay habitat however, and cranes have recently been observed still finding large blue crabs to eat," he pointed out. Visitors to the refuge observation towers have been provided with good views of Whooping cranes recently as the Mustang Lake family group has been spending time nearby. During a coast-wide closure February 15 to 24, 38 people in 14 boats picked up a total of 654 abandoned crab traps in Aransas and San Antonio Bays, accounting for 50% of the total of the 1,300 coastal traps retrieved. The traps, abandoned by commercial crabbers, continue to catch fish and crabs and the occasional turtle if they are not removed from the water. Date: March 6, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject:  TALKING NUMBERS Location: Main Office Since the reintroduction project’s inception in 2001, a total of 126 juvenile Whooping cranes have been released; 107 through the ultralight-led program and 19 via DAR. This total includes the only wild-hatched chick produced so far, (W601) as well as two offspring of 2002 ultralight-led birds. 602 and 717 were collected as eggs when their parents (211/217* and 213/218* respectively) abandoned their nests. Both were hatched at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, and included in the ultralight-led program. The Class of 2007 also included 709, a chick hatched from the wild-produced egg of a resident pair in the Florida non-migratory population. Mortalities in the reintroduced Eastern Migratory Population (EMP) over the seven project years total 49. (See table below) Only 17 of all mortalities occurred during the first six project years. More than double that number occurred in 2007; 17 being storm-related, and 15 due to various other causes. The primary cause of death has been predation (18 birds). Other causes include powerline collisions (3); gunshot (2); and, capture myopathy (1). Cranes in the EMP currently number 76; a survival rate of 60.3 percent. Excluding the mortalities caused by the unusual storm event of 2007 as being outside the scope of normal attrition gives an overall survival rate of 74.6%.) In 2007 the first instances of alligator predation took place, probably attributable to Florida’s severe drought conditions forcing cranes to use the deeper water habitats that are home to those reptiles. Eastern Migratory Population Mortality Record 2001 – 2007 (* - Female) year date crane # demise location cause/probable cause 2001 Dec 17 104 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Bobcat predation           2002 Jan10 110* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Bobcat predation           2003 Aug 30 207* NA Capture myopathy (euthanized)   Jul 23 319 Oceana County, MI Gunshot   Nov13 305 Cape Romain NWR, SC Bobcat predation           2004 Dec 23 215* Limestone County, AL Gunshot           2005 Feb 02 214* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Bobcat predation   Mar 14 405 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Bobcat predation   May 02~ 106 Jackson County, WI Predation of injured bird   May 03 414 Juneau County, WI Predation   Jul 09 418 Green Lake County, WI Powerline collision   Oct 23 304 Necedah NWR, WI Trauma (source unknown)           2006 May 25 417 Wood County, WI  Predation   Jul 05 302 Monroe County, WI  Predation   Jul 21~ 203* Necedah NWR, WI  Predation   Summ 522 Mason County, MI  Unknown   Dec27 208 Greene County, IN  Powerline collision           2007 Jan 09~ 204* Hernando County, FL Unknown (not predation)   Jan 20~ DAR632* Lafayette County, FL Alligator predation   Feb 02 601 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 602* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 604* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb02 605* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 606 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 607 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 608* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 610 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 611* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 612 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 613* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 614 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 618 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 619* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 620* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 622 Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 02 623* Chassahowitzka NWR, FL Storm event   Feb 09~ 521* Citrus County, FL Bobcat predation   Mar~ 202* Unknown Went Missing   Mar~ 523 Levy County, FL Alligator predation   Apr 13 DAR626 Davies County, IN