Ultralight guided Cranes to Florida

[flashl]

Seventeen Endangered Whooping Cranes Take to the Sky on Ultralight-guided Flight to Florida

Seventeen young whooping cranes this morning began their ultralight-led migration from central Wisconsin’s Necedah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). This is the seventh group of birds to take part in a landmark project led by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an international coalition of public and private groups that is reintroducing this highly imperiled species in eastern North America, part of its historic range. There are now 52 whooping cranes in the wild in eastern North America thanks to WCEP’s efforts.

Four ultralight aircraft and the juvenile cranes took to the air for the first leg of the 1,250-mile journey to the birds’ wintering habitat at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge along Florida's Gulf Coast.

“This will be our seventh migration along this route and although we have done it before, each season brings new challenges and the weather is always unpredictable,” said Joe Duff, senior ultralight pilot and CEO of Operation Migration, the WCEP partner that leads the ultralight migration. “It has consistently taken us 22 to 23 flying days to cover the 1,250 miles from here to Florida. However, each year, it seems to take a longer period to get those 23 good weather mornings and last season we were on the road for 76 days. The team works very hard to prepare these birds for their first migration and they deserve a break. We are asking everyone to hope and pray for good weather this year and speed the birds to their new winter home.”
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[vademocrat]

1. Check out the movie "Fly Away Home" if you haven't seen it -

It's a fictionalized version of a true story of a teenager and her father doing this with geese from Canada to Florida. Good movie - wonderful cinematography.

[Suich]

2. I loved that movie!

One of my favorites: It had a beginning, a middle and an end and it didn't have any sex, drugs or violence!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[flashl]

4. My kind of movie. n/t

[vademocrat]

6. It's one of my favorite movies - just a good story

and a happy ending!

[Beaverhausen]

3. Loved that film

glad to hear this is still happening. How wonderful that people care enough about these endangered birds to go so far to help them!

[TomInTib]

8. I had an ultra-light in Texas.

We had a place in the top of the Hill Country that had a good many ponds on it.

There was a brace of Mallards on the tank closest to the house. They came back every year and they would fly alongside me.

Absolutely exhilarating.

[malaise]

5. Lovely movie indeed

Hope the cranes travel well.

[madokie]

7. oh how I would love to be one of the pilots of one of the ultralights

just think how cool that would be to be flying with the Whooping Cranes

[mike_c]

9. you can follow the migration at Operation Migration....

http://www.operationmigration.org/index.html

[flashl]

10. Thanks.