Lake Michigan

Parent-Reared Whooping crane 39-17 was released at Horicon NWR last fall along with 38-17. Both females did not seem to form an association with other Whoopers and instead, spent time with Sandhills.

While 38-17 became the first ever Whooping crane in the Eastern Migratory Population to not head south for the winter, 39-17 did head south but only as far as Jasper County, Indiana.

This spring, she headed due north -finding herself on the wrong side of Lake Michigan.

For the past week she has been very slowly making her way south again and her hit from late yesterday confirms she figured it out and is now back on track and heading to Wisconsin!