Date: January 31, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: KUDOS AND MANY THANKS TO OUR TOP COVER FOLKS Location: Homosassa, FL As this past migration has once again proven, some of the most important and integral people on the OM Team are our Top Cover pilots. This is the second (or is it the third?) migration that top cover pilot Jack Wrighter has participated in, and he and his spotters, along with long-time top cover pilots Don and Paula Lounsbury, deserve much of the credit for the safe and sound delivery of the Class of 2007 to their wintering ground in Florida. We could not have done it without them! WHAT THE HECK IS A TOP COVER ANYWAY? by Jack Wrighter That was a question asked by one of the kids surrounding my Cessna aircraft shortly after landing at Dunnellon following the last leg of this year’s record setting migration. Before I could answer, three of the kids had their own explanations. One said, "Top cover is what the ultralight pilots put over their wings at night to keep the frost and bugs and stuff off." Another added, "Nope, top cover is what the ground crew puts over the pen to keep the cranes from flying away and getting lost." The third answer was nearly correct. A bright young lady, who had been following this migration from the start, stated that, “top cover was the airplane flown above the ultralights and cranes by that nice lady pilot who kept them out of restricted airspace and helped locate lost birds.” She was referring to Paula Lounsbury who, along with her husband, Don, flew top cover for the first half of the migration in their Cessna 182 airplane. I stepped in for the second half of the migration after being recruited for a second year by Dave Mattingly from the organization, "Touch our Planet". I volunteered two weeks of my time and the use of my airplane to complete the top cover duties for the 2007 migration. My two week stint ended up lasting nine weeks due to the continuous bad weather. Dave Mattingly, John Cooper, and Tom Miller, all retired commercial pilots, along with my wife, Judi, all volunteered their time as spotters on different legs between stopover points. Between myself, Dave, John, and Tom we probably have the equivalent of over 100 years of flying experience, but not one of us could change the inclement weather which hindered us for the duration. So - what the heck IS Top Cover? The young lady at Dunnellon pretty much summed it up. The top cover pilots and spotters fly in continuous slow circles about 500 to 700 feet above the ultralights and cranes, keeping them in view at all times when in flight. From that vantage point, we have an excellent view of the ultralights and cranes below us. The reason we circle is because the cranes and ultralights fly at about 35 miles per hour, and we cannot fly that slow. The top cover planes and crews are typically in the background and no one hears much from us unless there is a problem. We would prefer that the pilots never heard from us, but unfortunately that is not always the case. Our functions, in addition to watching the ultralights and cranes, include establishing and maintaining communications with FAA air traffic controllers near major airports, restricted areas, and military operations areas. We also monitor the changing weather and wind conditions during the flights, and relay messages from the ultralight pilots to the OM crew members on the ground. My three most memorable episodes on this migration were the successful location of 733, the bird that went missing Louisville, KY; locating the four cranes that had been spooked by a fog bank and scattered south of Valdosta, GA; and finally, finding the opening in the solid cloud cover over the Dunnellon airport that allowed the ultralights and cranes to safely descend for the arrival flyover at the airport and then land successfully at the Halpata pensite. Paula and Don Lounsbury could probably add their adventures from the first half of the migration. It was rumored that the two of them were intercepted by F-16s during their top cover duties. That makes a good story, however, it was not true. Perhaps this bit of folklore comes from the similar scenario depicted in the movie, Fly Away Home. Now, after nine weeks of sleeping in campers, airport terminals, and on hangar floors at one end of the spectrum, and an occasional hotel or guest accommodations offered by our hosts at the other end, I am really enjoying being home and sleeping in my own bed again. In one sense I am relieved this migration is over, but I must admit that I miss the entire team and the cranes already. What a privilege to be associated with such a fine group of professionals dedicated to an incredibly worthwhile cause. Date: January 31, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: we have a winner Location: Homosassa, FL Last fall Super Craniac Nancy Drew of North Dakota donated a beautiful quilt for OM to raffle as a fundraiser. Thanks to the striking quality and beauty of Nancy’s quilt, we sold hundreds of tickets to supporters from all over North America. A quilting publication work even featured her hand-made work of art. We started selling raffle tickets in September at the Necedah CraneFest with a promise that we would make the draw at the Arrival Event at migration's end. In front of the hundreds gathered to view the arrival flyover, Roy Sieger, Supervisor of the Dunnellon-Marion County Airport made the draw. While those gathered watched, we transferred all the entries to a large box, and Roy stirred, and stirred, and stirred before he pulled out the lucky ticket. The winner? Deke Clarke of Solomon’s, Maryland. We had to laugh because we happened to overhear the conversation at CraneFest as Rebecca, Deke's better half, tried to convince a reluctant Deke to buy some raffle tickets. Rebecca ended up buying the tickets in Deke’s name, as she said, “I’m jinxed, I never win anything.” Of course now, the tussle is on as Deke is claiming ownership of the quilt. (Many of you will recognize Deke’s name. He was an OM team member and pilot until a stroke a few years ago forced him into retirement. Deke is also one of the two generous individuals who donate their motorhomes to us for use on the migration.) Our thanks to all who purchased raffle tickets – and to its talented and generous creator, Nancy Drew. While at the Arrival Event, supporter Jan Doudna presented us with another quilt for raffle. In the not too distant future we will have everything done and ready to open raffle ticket sales on her terrific handiwork. Date: January 31, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Update re 703 Location: Homosassa, FL As you know, 703 didn't make the final flight with his classmates. He was held back because of an injury he sustained in the travel pen a number of days earlier. 703 is one of the biggest, if not the biggest bird in the Class of 2007. He was also the most dominant and was definitely the alpha bird of the flock - to the point that Bev often called him a bully. There is a flock mentality in the social structure of some birds. They will try to push out any who are injured or displaying signs of illness. It may be a strategy to eliminate any attraction for predators. 703 was found with a spot of blood on his chest. Whether he picked on one or more of his pen mates once too often and they retaliated, or he ran into the fence in an attempt to get out, once he was marked, he became a target for the others and became a pariah. In his attempts to escape he sustained abrasions to his wrists. (The part of the wing that sticks out the front when they are folded.) Because he was a target for aggression by the other birds, the crew erected a separate pen for him to keep him apart from the other birds. When we flew the last leg to Chass he was left behind in his pen at Halpata because we were afraid that his injuries would make him incapable of flying the distance. Brian and Brooke have been going out to the pen regularly to check on him, and he has been examined and treated by the vets, who noted in their report that the crew had done a "great job on treating the wounds." They left a list of instructions for 703's care, from directions for administering meds and inspecting and cleaning wounds to exercising his wing with gentle manual manipulation. Once the Vets on the Health Team complete the health checks of the rest of the Class of 2007 at Chass, 703 will be reassessed. If he gets the okay, he can be can be moved to join his flockmates in the larger release pen where he can avoid the aggression and if not regain his position in the dominance structure, at least be accepted back in. Date: January 29, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: belated entry Location: Homosassa, FL A few days ago we received this Field Journal entry from trike pilot Matt Ahrens who so ably filled in for Joe for a portion of the migration. We owe Matt a huge debt of gratitude. The team is all happy to know that we now have a capable 'on call' pilot - especially such a personable one who just happens to also be a fantastic cook! On my last flight related to my time working with Operation Migration I was zooming along at 32,000 feet. I wasn’t in an ultralight of course, rather I was on my way home in an American S80 airliner. It was a fantastic journey for the weeks I spent flying with the Whooping Cranes; camping out with the dedicated crew of Operation Migration; and getting up at 5:00am each day to watch the mist fade away as the sun broke the horizon. I can’t thank Joe Duff and the crew enough. Starting out in Tennessee and finishing in Florida with a complete series of flights over Georgia, it’s by far the most miles I’ve flown, and still just a pittance of the whole migration route. For the rest of the team remains the sprint towards the finish line. This year’s migration has taken longer than any migration to date. I know the crew is tired and anxious to be reunited with their family and friends back home. We met many new supporters and formed lasting relationships with each other. Sharing an experience like this, living in close quarters and flying with our avian companions forms a deep bond that few outside of the pilots and ground crew can ever understand. For my part it was an extraordinary experience. I’m hoping to be invited back, and look forward to spending time training in Necedah this coming summer. However, until then, I will have my memories, photographs and short movie clips to remind me of the very special moments I spent suspended between the sky and the earth in the company of friends – both those with, and without feathers. Date: January 29, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: THE DAY AFTER Location: Citrus Cty, FL Distance Traveled 26.2 miles Marion County, to Citrus County, FL Accumulated Distance 1262.1 miles After three and a half months of trailer living, the migration crew can see an end in sight. There is a lot of organizing and packing going to happen today as some prepare for the trip home. Others of us will fit those chores in as we can over the next three days while we attend the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership's Winter Meetings in Homosassa. In a normal year we've had a break of a month or so before having to present reports and ramp up with plans for the new season. Not so this year. Our meetings start at 8:00am this morning. Richard, Chris, Brooke and Joe will be doing their best complete entries about their last few flights, fitting some writing in as they can between packing the trikes in the aircraft trailer, readying their gear for departure, and attending the meetings. You may even see an entry here from Walter Sturgeon and Top Cover pilot Jack Wrighter in the coming days. We received a posting from pilot Matt Ahrens about his time on the migration and that will be posted soon too. Our final meal together last evening was a very subdued affair. Everyone was happy and relieved but there was more exhaustion around the table than elation. No one wanted to linger over dinner, we toasted, ate, hugged, and said goodnight. We will continue to post entries to catch you up on past flights, and also share some photos. Postings are likely to appear here very early in the morning or late at night as that work will have to be done before and after the day's meetings. We will also try to pass on any news from the meetings themselves. Today we can share some photos sent us by Paul Simison. Paul captured these shots at the Dunnellon flyover.   Top Left: Richard's flyover with his 3 birds. Top Right: Brooke's passes by with his 1 bird. Center Left: Chris approaches with the rest of the Class of 2007. Center Right: Chris waves to viewers below. Bottom Left: Chris returning to the airport to greet Craniacs after dropping of his birds at Halpata-Tastanaki. Date: January 28, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: saved? by the alberts Location: Citrus Cty, FL Distance Traveled 26.2 miles Marion County, to Citrus County, FL Accumulated Distance 1262.1 miles I’m afraid I’m going to have to beg forgiveness. Not only haven't I been able to write an update, I haven't gotten to processing photos to post. 'Work-work' was screaming for attention; an almost due grant application and trying to meet the February 3rd deadline for our Member Magazine, INformation. However, luckily for me – and for readers – Carol and Henry Alberts have come to my rescue. Carol and her husband were at the Dunnellon Arrival Event and sent me a link to their website photo-album. Carol told us, “We were just astounded, it was so awesome.” Their photo-album is a great pictorial of the day and the flyover. To view it click here Carol and Henry’s Album. Date: January 28, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: The end!! finally!! Location: Marion Cty, FL Distance Traveled 26.2 miles Marion County, to Citrus County, FL Accumulated Distance 1262.1 miles The 2007 Migration is officially over - in fact it ended at 8:48AM. After a quick cell phone conversation with Joe (he's headed north and I'm headed south) I started looking for a likely spot where I could pull over and borrow a wifi signal. It took some searching, but I met with success thankfully as I knew you folks would be anxiously waiting for the 'last' word. It took the pilots just 1 hour and 6 minutes to complete today's leg. It took only 42 minutes to get over the Chass pensite - the rest of the time was spent circling and circling trying to get the birds to land. At last there was just one bird left aloft and still reluctant to land. They think it was 710, and he took a little more coaxing. The pilots found some strong wind along the way this morning and were hitting speeds of around 60mph until they ran into a heavy crosswind that slowed them to 40mph. For a short while it looked like they might not be able to hold course long enough to overfly this morning's viewing site. Richard led this morning he landed with 15 of the 16 birds. Brooke had the other one. 703, who sustained a bit of an injury in the pen a few days ago, didn't fly with his classmates this morning. Joe dropped off the card from his camera somewhere for me so that I could pick it up and give you some pictures from today's flight. There's still 40 miles between me and 'there', but I'm hoping I can find it, get them processed and at least a few up here for you to see before the day/evening is out. Nathan and I did some loading in and some loading out of the aircraft trailer this morning, organizing a bit to make room for the 4 trikes to be dismantled and packed up. He's now on his way to meet up with the pilots, and I'm on my way to meet with a potential sponsor, with a stop at the post office enroute. Once again today all the team is here there and everywhere trying to get done all the chores that need to be done at the end of 3 plus months on the road. We also have to get ourselves ready for three days of WCEP Winter Meetings which begin tomorrow in Homosassa. THEN we can go home. By 5pm tonight the OM Team will stop whatever they are doing to get ready for our annual End of Migration celebration dinner. It is the last time we will all be together until next fall, so along with much hand-shaking and back-slapping there will also be some good-bye hugging going on. More later when I'm not parked on the side of the road. Date: January 28, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Migration Day 97 Location: Marion Cty, FL Distance Traveled 68.7 miles Marion County, to Citrus County, FL Accumulated Distance 1235.9 miles With Richard in the lead, the cranes and planes just launched on the final leg of the 2007 migration!!! The pilots just radioed to say that they were getting blown to the south of their hoped for course. They are still fighting to keep on course so they can overfly the viewing site in Homosassa - here's hoping. A successful flight today flight from the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve to the Chassahowitzka refuge will bring to an end a journey of over 1260 miles - one that has taken over three months to complete. We don't want to chance jinxing anything, so we won't celebrate prematurely with any cheers or shouts of joy. We'll save those for later Field Journal entries. I have to be on the road momentarily and the satellite dish will be packed up for transport, but hopefully I will be able to let you know a little later this morning that the cranes and planes have arrived safely at Chass. Date: January 28, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Video of yesterday's flyover Location: Marion Cty, FL Distance Traveled 68.7 miles Marion County, FL Accumulated Distance 1235.9 miles We know you have been following our progress - and sometimes lack thereof - on a daily basis. Many have told us that through sharing our stories in the field journal they feel like we have 'taken them with us' on our journey south. Thanks to Bryan Farrow we are able to also share the Arrival at Dunnellon with you. Click here to see Bryan's video of the flyover. Date: January 27, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Flyover viewing opportunity tomorrow enroute to chassahowitzka Location: Marion Cty, FL Distance Traveled 68.7 miles Marion County, FL Accumulated Distance 1235.9 miles Will wonders never cease?!? We can't find any negatives that might rule out a flight tomorrow. The temperature at flight time will be close to the freezing mark, but with the trikes and the top cover plane all tucked up in a hangar at the Dunnellon Airport, icing won't be an issue. The weatherman is promising clear skies, and it seems that surface winds as well as those aloft will not only be manageable, but out of the right direction. Those wishing to catch a glimpse of the cranes and planes when they pass overhead as they make their way from the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve to the Class of 2007's wintering ground on the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge should congregate at the Wal-Mart parking lot in Homosassa. This last migration leg is a short one of around 26 miles. This means they will reach the viewing spot very quickly so to be sure you don't miss them you will want to be in place around 7:00-7:15am. Sunrise tomorrow is at 7:17am and the team will be trying to get airborne as close to that time as is possible. Date: January 27, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: ARRIVAL fLYOVER eVENT dAY Location: Marion Cty, FL Distance Traveled 68.7 miles Marion County, FL Accumulated Distance 1235.9 miles James was a little optimistic about when we would get time to sit down and post an entry today. He should be excused though, not only is he relatively new to OM, last evening was his wedding reception. We thank his new bride Cara for lending him to us long enough this morning to at least let everyone know we had been able to make the Gilchrist to Marion County flight. It is after 5pm and this is the first time my fanny has hit a chair since hitting the road at '0-dark-thirty' this morning. But I'm the lucky one. All the rest of the team are still out and about. Some are at the Chass pensite attending to last minute fixes and set up and making sure all is tickety-boo and ready to receive the Class of 2007 tomorrow. The aircraft are being refueled; other crew are on their way back from Gilchrist County having driven back up there in order to pick up vehicles that had to be left behind in camp; and still others are enroute back to the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve to do the afternoon pen check. We have much to tell you about the today's flight and the Arrival Event and will get as must posted here as quickly as we can. We will have photos too of course. I'm afraid I'm going to have to try your patience a little however. I have several media beating down the door, and a number of OM volunteers that I want to spend some time and heap a ton of thanks on before before they head for home. Date: January 27, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: James Popham Subject: MIGRATION DAY 96 - SUCCESS!!! Location: Main Office Distance Traveled ? miles Halpata-Tastanaki, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles Great news for everyone waiting on the edge of their seat - they made it!!! After our last communication with Liz in the field, we learned that the second-to-last migration leg was successfully completed today, and that the flyover event was packed with supporting Craniacs. Check the field journal frequently as more details will likely be arriving soon. Date: January 26, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: We'll be trying to fly Location: Gilchrist Cty Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles After one last late check of the weather and wind we still think we have a good chance of a flight to Dunnellon in the morning. With the temperatures forecast, fog is a possibility, which may mean a wait for it to lift or dissipate. Regardless, Walter and I will be heading for the airport early in the morning where we will wait for word from the crew as to whether or not they are able to get in the air. See you there? Date: January 26, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 95 Location: On the Road Again Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles When the OM crew woke this morning all they could hear was, 'pitter patter, pitter patter', and it wasn't the sound of little feet. It was the rain dancing on the roof of the trailers and motorhomes. No debate, no kicking dirt in the morning circle, no need to send up a test trike, no agonizing over whether we have a chance for a flight or not - the rain made it all that superfluous. Even without the inclement weather it is doubtful we could have made a flight today. Surface winds were favorable, but aloft the planes and cranes would have been facing a 20mph wind right on the nose. Today will be down day #2 in Gilchrist County. We feel much like John Henton Carter who, in A Day with Mark Twain said, "Yes, the weather is bad, and if I were dealing in weather it is not the brand that I'd put up in cans for future use. No, it is the kind of weather I'd throw on the market and let it go for what it would fetch, and if it wouldn't sell for anything, I would hunt up some life-long enemy and present it to him." On checking the weather models available to us at the moment, it appears as though a flight on Sunday is a reasonable expectation - but we will check those forecasts again later today and post our 'best guess' here in the Field Journal late today. Date: January 25, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Guess for Tomorrow Location: Titusville, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles Many, many of you have emailed, or called me or called the office asking if I could please post something very early in the morning (like 5AM - ish) so you would know whether or not to head out to the Arrival Event. Unfortunately the answer is, 'no, I can't'. When we have a hoped for arrival viewing - as we did this morning - I, just like you have to get up and get on the road not knowing whether or not we will be flying. My morning started at 4AM and I was already at the Dunnellon Airport this morning to set up our booth when I received word from the crew that they could not fly - and this morning's decision to stand down was made unusually early. Then we got the word out as quickly as we humanly could. Sorry folks, but in almost all instances about all we can ever do is to give you our best guess the night before as to what we think our chances for a flight might be the next morning. Even when it looks bleak, or even impossible, we always try to remain optimistic - we won't throw in the towel until flight time, and/or we know 100% for sure there is no possible way we can fly. We know this doesn't make it easy for you, and believe me we DO empathize. After all it's been our way of life virtually every day since October 13, 2007. Date: January 25, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Guess for Tomorrow Location: Titusville, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles The forecasted winds aren't too, too bad, but the probability of rain is very high. When we factored in the temperature and humidity, it made a flight tomorrow look less than probable. In fact, if I was you - I'd stay in bed tomorrow morning. Looking at everything, Chris and I tried to arrive at a percentage of probability of a flight in the morning. Taking all things into consideration we arrived at less than a 5% chance that we would be flying. Sunday however is another story. It looks quite good and we are thinking it is more than likely going to be ARRIVAL day. Hope to see you all at the Dunnellon Airport!! Date: January 25, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: James Popham Subject: A MORNING AT DUNNELLON Location: Main Office Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles In anticipation of a flyover event this morning, hundreds of enthusiastic Craniacs turned up at Dunnellon airport, hoping to catch a glimpse of the planes and cranes. Unfortunately we had to break the bad news to many of them. While a few departed after hearing the disappointing news, many stayed around to join us at the OM display on the tarmac. Despite having the flyover postponed, a few of the other exhibitors present set up their booths for curious onlookers, including the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund and two Audubon Societies from Hernando County and Citrus County. Meanwhile the entire OM team in Gilchrist County jumped into our ragtag caravan of vehicles and raced south to speak to the crowd - and to apologize for dashing everyone's hopes. While waiting for their arrival Walter Sturgeon did a great job entertaining the supporters that remained at the airport. He was telling his favourite migration stories and responding to their many questions keeping everyone captivated. Top cover pilot Jack Wrighter also flew down and landed his Cessna at Dunnellon, taxiing right up to within 25 ft of OM display. Afterward, supporters crowded around the OM table checking out the varied merchandise available for purchase. Volunteers Karen & Dale Richter helped Liz out tremendously while they dealt with the brisk business. Ivan Vicente, Visitor Services Specialist from Chassahowitka National Wildlife Refuge did a super job coordinating everything for the day and undoubtedly will have his work cut out for him again when we try for the next flyover. Looking at the next few days' forecasts, we are predicting that the next likely window of opportunity for a flight be Sunday. However, like any other migration day, we are keeping our fingers crossed that we'll have a chance to fly on Saturday. The team will send a test trike up tomorrow, just in case there's a chance for flight. If the conditions prove to be favorable the cranes will head for Halpata-Tastanaki refuge, flying over the Dunnellon Airport. We would like to extend our thanks to airport supervisor, Roy Seiger, who was on hand to help out and thoughtfully supplied hot coffee and fresh donuts for the event crew. Please see entry 4 on Janurary 24th for details regarding time, directions, and protocol. Date: January 25, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: James Popham Subject: MIGRATION DAY 94 - STANDING DOWN Location: Main Office Distance Traveled 0 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles Despite fair temperatures and clear skies, the OM team will remain grounded today. The surface winds are extremly strong, making a departure too risky. This means that there will NOT be a flyover at Dunnellon airport today. Although we had hoped that there would be an opportunity, we simply do not have control over the conditions. Please continue to check the field journal as we will be posting updates with additional information as it comes into the office. This web page will be your best source for information, as any new developments will appear here first. Date: January 24, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Megan Kennedy Subject: A VISIT TO CHASSAHOWITZKA Location: Gilchrist Cty, FL Distance Traveled 2 day total = 68.9 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles A few days ago my ever-increasing suspicions were put to rest. Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, purportedly the final destination of the ultralight-led whooping crane migration, does exist after all. Richard, Chris, Nate and I traveled down to Crystal River to help prepare the winter pen for the birds' arrival. One of the pen modifications prompted by last year's tragedy is a release gate that will automatically open in a flooding event. The triggers, heavy, buoyant tanks, are set to a specific water depth, at which point they will lift an arm that unlatches the gate, dropping it away from the birds and providing an exit. We went to the pensite to assemble and install the gate. Since the site can only be accessed by airboat, we had to ferry out our gate in pieces. With the added weight of our equipment and low water levels, it took us two trips to make it to the island. We started our work by laying out all of the pieces in shape and prepping the nuts and bolts for tightening. We then cut a large hole in the side of the pen and adjusted the three layers of fencing to fit the new gate. The best possible location for the flood gate also happened to be where the bird handlers’ entrance to the pen already was. So, leaving Chris and Richard to finish assembling, (see photo) Nate and I worked on relocating the entrance gate. With only a few hours of daylight to work by, we managed to get most of our task completed. Our next visit will include finishing covering the new gate with fencing and rewiring the electric fence to accommodate the changes. We now have over three months on the road behind us and only two more stops to go. It is strange that a place only a two or three hour drive away can still seem so unattainably distant and yet almost right around the corner. It has been a long trip, and your words of encouragement have helped to offset our disappointments. Thank you all for your continued enthusiasm and support. Note: For more on the precautions being initiated to mitigate the impacts of potential weather events such as the one that struck at Chass last February, see Entry 1 for January 22nd and click the links. Date: January 24, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: ARRIVAL EVENT POSSIBLE TOMORROW Location: Florida Distance Traveled 2 day total = 68.9 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles Completion of the migration leg to Gilchrist County today brought us just one flight away from our next stopover at the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve and the Arrival Event planned for at the Dunnellon-Marion County Airport. The Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve is the last place the cranes will overnight before OM’s pilots lead them the final 26 miles to their final destination and wintering ground on the Chassahowitzka NWR. Using the Halpata site allows us to stage the Arrival Flyover Event at the Dunnellon Airport, giving attendees a rare chance to see one of North America’s rarest and most endangered birds. Viewers will want to be on site by approximately 8:30am. Having checked the winds and weather predictions as they stand at the moment, we believe a flight to Dunnellon tomorrow is possible. At this juncture the main concern we have is for projected winds on the surface - they may turn out to be too strong. The airport is located at 15070 SW 111th Street, Dunnellon, where volunteers will be on hand to direct you to parking. We suggest those unfamiliar with the location use MapQuest or a similar online program to find driving directions. As is customary, there will be a number of speakers on hand to address the crowd and answer questions prior to the arrival flyover by OM’s intrepid pilots leading the Class of 2007. Also, several organizations, including Operation Migration, will have booths set up offering information and/or merchandise for sale. For the early birds among you, there will be coffee and breakfast available for purchase. In closing we must add our usual reminder. Our ability to fly on any given day is entirely weather dependent. Despite any prediction we make the day before about a potential flight the next morning, remember it is only our best guess. In many, if not most instances, the decision to fly on any given morning can only be made just moments before we are able to take-off. This means that the possibility always exists that viewers could make the trip to the Arrival Flyover site at Dunnellon only to learn that we could not fly. One last note to attendees. Please be mindful of your children and their whereabouts and kindly do not touch the general aviation aircraft parked on or adjacent to the field. Airport management has also asked us to advise everyone that no smoking is allowed on the tarmac or aircraft field. We are grateful to Airport Supervisor Roy Sieger and his staff who have gone out of their way to accommodate us for our Arrival event. Date: January 24, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: THE CRANES HAVE LANDED Location: Florida Distance Traveled 2 day total = 68.9 miles Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1167.2 miles The Class of 2007 is now safely on the ground at our Gilchrist County stopover site. Whoopee! We should have a report later on from Brooke who was lead pilot today, but it appears he had all 17 birds with him for the entire flight. A quick check of the winds and weather for tomorrow leave us feeling very optimistic for our chances of a flight to the Halpata-Tastanaki Preserve and in the process of course, the Arrival Event and Flyover at the Dunnellon Airport. Check back here later in the day for more on the possibility of tomorrow being THE day. Date: January 24, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 93 - update Location: Florida Distance Traveled ? miles Suwannee County Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Will wonders never cease? We got a break in the cloud cover and the fog lifted sufficiently for the pilots to have the confidence they could make the short flight to yesterday's hoped for destination - Gilchrist County. All 17 birds took off, following the lead ultralight like the champs they are. We will post here again once we've heard that the cranes and planes are safely on the ground at our stopover site in Gilchrist County. Date: January 24, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 93 Location: Florida Distance Traveled ? miles Suwannee County Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles No need to check temps, wind strength or direction this morning. All it took to determine our fate for today was a look out the window. Much of central and northern Florida is totally blanketed with huge fog banks so dense that some stretches on the I-95 and other major routes have been shut down. In the event that conditions improve sufficiently for a flight, we will consider leading the birds from Suwannee to our Gilchrist County stopover - a short hop of about 25 miles. While the airborne part of the team could go no where this morning, trackers were on the road before first light heading for the location of 721, which they identified last evening. We are happy to report she has been safely picked up and is on her way to our Suwannee pen site to be reunited with her 16 classmates. As for the Hornet motorhome, we are hopeful that a new fan belt and some coolant may resolve the problem. By the end of today we should be all A-OK, road and sky-ready and set to re-focus on making our second to last migration leg. 2007 Migration Trivia compliments of Pam Roberts, Branford, FL SUWANNEE COUNTY, FL Formed in December 1858, Suwannee County lies between Hamilton and Gilchrist Counties. Forming its northern and western borders is 105 miles of the river it is named after. Along the way, the Suwannee’s wide sandy banks change to rocky cliffs and then to swamp-like areas. Early occupants were Seminole Indians and before them, Timucuan Indians. Since then its inhabitants have been mostly farmers. Many chicken farms and dairies dot the landscape, but the county’s major crops are peanuts, tobacco, and hay. There are numerous fresh water springs for cave diving or swimming, and a few ponds for migratory birds to camp. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 8 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 8 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to somewhere in Suwannee County Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Well folks, this should be the last Field Journal for today. The last word we had is that all the birds with the exception of 721 have been recovered. Unless the crew find her very quickly, darkness will force them to abort the search until the morning. The Hornet motorhome needs some service done on it before it goes any further, and with our other vehicles here there and everywhere, it is a pretty good bet that while we might make a flight to our Gilchrist County stopover, (if possible and weather permitting) in all likelihood we will not be flying to Dunnellon tomorrow. We will be trying to regroup this evening and sort ourselves out. If we have anything more to report it will appear here early tomorrow morning. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 7 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 7 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Suwannee & Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles We’ve heard from Walter. He and Jack in the Cessna were able to lead Brian to the location of 712. We don’t have confirmation yet, but we expect Brian will have captured and crated him by now. Jack and Walter then flew down to help Chris and Richard who were picking up signals on 709, 724 and 733. They were unsuccessful at spotting the birds from the air but were able to confirm by the signals they were picking up that they were right on top of them. From there, they flew to a location where Richard thought one of the birds had dropped out. Sure enough they picked up 721’s signal, GPS’d the location, and relayed the coordinates to Chris to pass on to someone on the ground so they could go and track it down. Since then, Chris called to report that he and Richard had managed to track, capture, and crate 709 and transport him to the temporary pen. They are now on the trail of 724 and 733.   By the time you are reading this posting, Brooke is likely to be in the air leading 710 back north from Gilchrist County to join his penmates in Suwannee County. Hopefully, we will have all the birds collected and in the pen by dark. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 6 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 6 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Suwannee & Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Cell phone communication continues to be either intermittent, non-existent, or abysmal. It can take connecting 5 or 6 times to have even the shortest of conversations. But we do have some news. Brian, (who has had crated 717 with him from early this morning) along with Nate who has been tracking in the Hornet, have located 712 and hopefully will have her on board shortly. Brooke made it all the way to our Gilchrist County stopover with 710 and is 'bird-sitting' him - something he will have to do for some time yet. Chris and Richard are on the ground in a field in Suwannee County and have their 10 birds safely tucked into one of our travel pens. Top Cover pilot Jack Wrighter and Walter were able to get back in the air and have tracked, found, and marked the locations of the four remaining dropout birds. One is several miles north of our Gilchrist County destination, and the other three are in a wooded area not too distant from our temporary Suwannee pensite. With luck, we will be able to get to them all before dark so they can be crated and transported to the travel pen. As we are able, we will post here either on the progress and/or the successful recovery of the wayward birds. With the ground that has to be covered and the difficult and arduous and often time consuming nature of a capture, we expect it will be a few hours before we have the final word. Please don't even think about asking about tomorrow at this point. In addition to recovering the birds, we have trailers we've had to leave stranded at our Hamilton County stopover, planes stuck on the ground in Suwannee, ground vehicles helter-skelter, top cover trying to figure out whether to go north or south, and poor Brooke faced with sitting waiting all alone in an isolated spot with his lone bird, likely for hours yet, until we can sort out the logistics and put all into action. It's going to be one looooooong day - at the end of which we will be very happy if we can simply say, "All's well that ends well." Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 6 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 6 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Suwannee & Gilchrist County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Cell phone communication continues to be either intermittent, non-existent, or abysmal. It can take connecting 5 or 6 times to have even the shortest of conversations. But we do have some news. Brian, (who has had crated 717 with him from early this morning) along with Nate who has been tracking in the Hornet, have located 712 and hopefully will have her on board shortly. Brooke made it all the way to our Gilchrist County stopover with 710 and is 'bird-sitting' him - something he will have to do for some time yet. Chris and Richard are on the ground in a field in Suwannee County and have their 10 birds safely tucked into one of our travel pens. Top Cover pilot Jack Wrighter and Walter were able to get back in the air and have tracked, found, and marked the locations of the four remaining dropout birds. One is several miles north of our Gilchrist County destination, and the other three are in a wooded area not too distant from our temporary Suwannee pensite. With luck, we will be able to get to them all before dark so they can be crated and transported to the travel pen. As we are able, we will post here either on the progress and/or the successful recovery of the wayward birds. With the ground that has to be covered and the difficult and arduous and often time consuming nature of a capture, we expect it will be a few hours before we have the final word. Please don't even think about asking about tomorrow at this point. In addition to recovering the birds, we have trailers we've had to leave stranded at our Hamilton County stopover, planes stuck on the ground in Suwannee, ground vehicles helter-skelter, top cover trying to figure out whether to go north or south, and poor Brooke faced with sitting waiting all alone in an isolated spot with his lone bird, likely for hours yet, until we can sort out the logistics and put all into action. It's going to be one looooooong day - at the end of which we will be very happy if we can simply say, "All's well that ends well." Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 5 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 5 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Gilchrist County, FL? Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles The travel pen we were using in Hamilton County is now packed up and on its way to where Chris and Richard are waiting on the ground with 10 of the birds. Once they are safely penned, we expect that the one bird with Brooke will be picked up and taken to join its 10 classmates. Brian has managed to locate and safely crate one of the two early dropouts, and it has joined 717 in the back of the tracking van. Jack and Walter have refueled Jack's Cessna and will get into the air the moment flying conditions permit. They, and as soon as they are able, the pilots and ground crew, will start searching/tracking the four birds still unaccounted for. With zero to one bar on their cell phones, communication with team members is at best, sketchy, but we will do our best to relay any news if and when we do manage to make a connection. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 4 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Gilchrist County, FL? Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Richard and Chris have managed to find a field on which to set down with their birds - ten in all. Brooke, who is some distance ahead of them, has one bird and we understand/believe that he too has found a safe place to land. Brian, in the tracking van with 717 crated in the back, is on the trail of the two dropouts we mentioned earlier, while Nathan, driving the Hornet, is headed for Chris and Richard's location with our second mobile travel pen. Megan, Jack, and Walter are hard at work dismantling the travel pen at our Hamilton County site and once it is disassembled and packed up, they will break camp and get it too on the road in case we end up having to hold birds in more than one location. If you've done the math, you will have figured out that we have three birds unaccounted for. At this moment communications are still sketchy so we aren't aware of whether or not any of the pilots were able to get a fix on where they went down - or even if they broke off individually or as a group. Holding our breath here for more news. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 3 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Gilchrist County, FL? Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Talk about a live, heart-stopping reality show! Two birds have dropped out of the flight. The first one, 717, who was the early drop out near the pensite was safely recovered and crated. Brian in the tracking van and Nathan in the Hornet are racing to the locations of the latest dropouts. Top cover pilot Jack Wrighter, and Walter Sturgeon who was flying with him today as spotter, have had to return to the grassy runway back at our campsite in Hamilton County. Fog and the low ceiling forced them to decrease altitude to around the 400 foot level - the same as our trikes - so for safety reasons they curtailed their flight and headed back north. They had to touch down at camp as in the interim, the local airport closed due to the poor flying conditions that had developed. With the ground crew out of range and top cover on the ground no longer able to speak to the pilots on the aviation radio, we are, for the moment, without the means to communicate with the ultralights. The last word we have is that the trikes were popping in and out of the fog (something that spooks the birds) and that the pilots were searching hard for a suitable field where they could put down early. We will post more news as we have it. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 - Installment 2 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County to Gilchrist County, FL? Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles We are on our way - sort of. Conditions improved and we got the break in the cloud-laden skies that we needed. After putting up a test trike, the team agreed a flight to Gilchrist County was on. Our ultralights leading the Class of 2007 are now on their way, but not before they suffered through what was likely one of the worst crane rodeos of the migration. One bird dropped out almost immediately, and Megan is helping Brian with the retrieval so that as quickly as possible, he can get on the road following the cranes and planes. This because the pilots are concerned that there might be other dropouts given the combination of headwind and high humidity. In fact, if in the early going the birds appear to be struggling too much breathing in the heavy, humid air, the pilots will turn around and bring them back rather than carry on to Gilchrist. Stay tuned. Date: January 23, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 92 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled ? miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Last evening we once again believed the forecast promised a chance for a flight this morning; in fact, an even better chance than the previous two mornings. The reality of this morning is a temp of 53F, 2mph winds out of the NNE on the surface, and what appears to be a manageable headwind aloft. BUT - we don't yet know if we will be flying. The combination of overnight rain and the rise in temperature has produced a patchy fog. And overhead we have a cloud ceiling ranging from just 200 to 1000 feet. At the moment we are waiting it out to see if conditions will clear sufficiently to allow us to fly to Gilchrist County on the last migration leg before our the flight to Dunnellon and the long awaited Arrival Event and Flyover. Date: January 22, 2008 - Entry 5 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: AND FOR TOMORROW WE HAVE... Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Tomorrow we have another 'possible' fly day. The wind on the surface should be light and out of the NE and aloft, while in our faces, not so strong as to be insurmountable. If anything will ground us it will likely be the potential for rain at our departure site, or, fog at our destination. We are so wishing, wishing wishing for a break and a chance to fly. Hope tomorrow is it. Date: January 22, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: ANOTHER CRANIAC KID Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Young Taylor Richter, (son of OM Board of Director Dale Richter) and a super Craniac Kid himself, sent along a photo he took at the Georgia flyover site, which, unfortunately for gathered viewers, we skipped over. The photo is of 3½ year-old Allan Muise. Allan is a member of an enthusiastic birding family, and his Mom tells us that he can identify quite a few birds by sight and sound. Mom Tracey said, “We have taken him on many a bird trip so he has quite a 'life list'.” Allan's Mom told us they had met Bev and Brooke while camping outside the Chassahowitzka NWR last spring and Allan was hoping to see Mr. Brooke flying and leading Whooping cranes. “We were sad for us that you over flew the viewing site and we missed you, but were glad for you and the birds,” she said. Tracey, we're glad to know you are raising a birder and a Craniac both! Date: January 22, 2008 - Entry 3 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: MIGRATION DAY 91 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Clear skies, good temps, but the wind....! Last evening we believed the forecast promised a reasonable chance for a flight in the morning. It still appeared promising enough this morning for the pilots to launch not one, but two test trikes. Hopes were dashed however when Chris radioed down that with the wind he was encountering aloft he was, "almost flying backwards". Need we say that today will be down day #7 in Hamilton County, FL. The only time in the previous six years' migrations that we have been held on the ground in Hamilton County was in 2006, and then we were down for just one day. Date: January 22, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: HOLD YOUR CALLS AND EMAILS RE ARRIVAL Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Although we do our best to respond to all emails and inquiries, it is impossible to keep up with the hundreds of emails we receive daily. The majority ask the same question, so we will once again answer it here. When will you arrive in Dunnellon? Who would have thought when we arrived in Hamilton County, FL that we'd still be there a week later. While frustrating, with this year's weather track record it should be no surprise. We remind everyone that our ability to fly each and every migration morning is entirely weather/wind dependent. Most often we don't even know for sure if we can fly the next morning much less when we will arrive at our destination. Recently we began posting late in the day our 'best guess' as to our ability to fly the next morning. But that's all it is – a guess. In almost all instances, the decision to fly on any given morning can only be made just moments before take-off time. Once we reach Gilchrist County – our last stopover site before the Arrival Event and our hoped for flyover at Dunnellon – check here for our latest 'best guess' based on the evening’s weather/wind projections for the following morning. However, remember that ultimately the pilots will make the ‘fly / no fly’ decision based on the actual conditions at flight time. As a result the possibility always exists that viewers could make the trip to the Dunnellon Airport only to learn that we could not fly after all. Wish we had a definitive answer for you folks, but unfortunately the weather gods and Mother Nature give no guarantees. Date: January 22, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: QUESTIONS.....WE GET QUESTIONS Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles As we approach Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, our final destination and the wintering ground for the Class of 2007, some of you have been asking about the precautions the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP) has instituted to mitigate the potential for a repeat of last year's disastrous loss. Click here to read WCEP’s Report and its Action Plan to Reduce the Risk of Catastrophic Mass Mortality. One of the biggest changes is a custom-built automatic gate that OM's multi-talented Richard van Heuvelan was commissioned to construct. The gate, which has now been installed in the top-netted pen, has latches connected to floats. If rising water lifts the floats to a certain level, the latches will release and the entire gate will fall open releasing the birds from the top-netted pen. And regarding other questions - Each partner within WCEP has agreed to carry out specific roles and shoulder certain responsibilities. To help you direct your questions about specific aspects of the Whooping crane reintroduction project to the appropriate and responsible WCEP partner, we repeat below a chart previously posted in our Field Journal. PROJECT PHASE WORK PERFORMED BY WCEP PARTNER(S) AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BIRDS RESTS WITH Breeding/Incubation/Hatching/Rearing Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Rearing/Imprinting/Early Conditioning Operation Migration and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Operation Migration Summer 'Flight School' Operation Migration and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Operation Migration Migration Operation Migration and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Operation Migration Winter Monitoring at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge and Tracking of Previous Years’ Birds U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, International Crane Foundation, and Operation Migration US Fish and Wildlife Service and International Crane Foundation Date: January 21, 2008 - Entry 2 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Tomorrow Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Well folks, it appears that what we may have for tomorrow is much like what we had today - but less of it, wind we mean. That's good news, as the headwind aloft this morning was too strong for the cranes and planes to tackle. As we approach the end of the 6th day on the ground in Hamilton County, we will once again go to bed hopeful of being able to fly tomorrow morning to our next stopover in Gilchrist County. Sure wish someone would move Dunnellon (the stop after Gilchrist) or for that matter our final destination, Chassahowitzka, about a hundred miles closer. Date: January 21, 2008 - Entry 1 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: migration day 90 Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles This morning showed us once again that we should learn not to get our hopes up. Late yesterday we thought we had a good chance to fly this morning. However, on checking the aviation weather sites before daybreak we found winds aloft forecast at 25mph out of the south east. By sunrise and take-off time, we knew our fate was sealed by just looking at the sky. We watched as the the clouds zoomed northward over our heads, driven by the strong flow out of the south. No need to put up a test trike today. Disappointment filled the trailer as one by one team members filed back in; disappointment so thick you could slice it and server it on a cracker. The cranes and planes will, for the sixth day, be held on the ground in Hamilton County, FL. Date: January 20, 2008 - Entry 5 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: CHANCE TO FLY? Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Yea! Tomorrow looks like a fly day. Projections are for north east winds on the surface and manageable winds out of the south east. With luck, the cranes and planes will spend tomorrow night in Gilchrist County. Date: January 20, 2008 - Entry 4 Reporter: Liz Condie Subject: Seeking Interns for the 2008 Season Location: Hamilton Cty, FL Distance Traveled 0 miles Hamilton County, FL Accumulated Distance 1,098.3 miles Another first. We are posting the ad seeking applications for Intern positions with OM for the 2008 season and we still haven't finished the 2007 fall migration. Individuals interested in applying for one of our three Intern p