Bev Paulan sent this photo – taken over the weekend following the return of the adventurous #4-12 to the St. Marks release pen site. As of this writing we still have no word on the whereabouts of Whooping crane #11-12. If only #4-12 would tell us.
Whooping crane #7-12 on the left appears to be performing for her two flockmates #’s 4-12 & 5-12
Male Whooping crane #5-12 on the left and female 7-12 forage in one of the two ponds in their release enclosure
Number 4-12 – the oldest Whooping crane from the Class of 2012 has very little fawn coloring remaining.
Thanks to aircraft owner Steve Fults from Panacea and his pilot son Steve Fults Jr., Brooke was able to get airborne over the weekend to try to locate #11-12 (to no avail). Below is a photo showing the St. Marks winter release pen and surrounding area. Can you spot the cranes?
Click the image to enlarge. Can you spot the cranes inside the enclosure?
couldn’t spot them until I read Lori’s comment:) Boy #7 is sure holding onto her beautiful red coloring. Praying for #11 to be found alive. Thank you for the fabulous pictures.
“Can you spot the cranes?” Yes indeed.
Thanks for providing the nice high-resolution image.
More wonderful pictures thanks to Bev (and you too, Heather)!
#4-12 is sure getting to be a handsome “dude”! Thank you OM for keeping us “Craniacs” in on the progress of the Class of 2012. Let’s hope for a healthy, good number of chicks this Spring of 2013.
Thanks for the wonderful pictures. It’s always nice to see how they are changing. I hope #11-12 returns soon. That little stinker.
Can someone please tell us where the Whoopers are in the photo from the plane? I think in the upper left of the pen – 11:00…
That’s correct Lori! and you may have also noticed the ‘Dummy Mummy’ on the roosting area in the pond?
Thanks for the photos! Great aerial shot of the pen.