USFWS Whooping Crane Coordinator Tom
cranes were still present at Aransas on April 17, but those birds
were not relocated
on a subsequent check. However, they could conceivably still be present.
Based on observed departures at Aransas, the migration appeared to
be about a week early this spring. However, those "early birds" encountered
blizzards in the Dakotas in the middle of April that slowed the migration.
The Cooperative Whooping Crane Tracking Office in Grand Island, Nebraska
has compiled 45 confirmed sightings in the central flyway since March
4, 2011. The office received
another 18 unconfirmed and 5 probable reports.
ND = 11
SD = 8
KS = 4
OK = 2
MT = 1
Bidwell of Environment Canada reports that several whooping
cranes have been confirmed in Saskatchewan. (The first sighting
in Canada occurred on April 11th.)
Eleven Radio-banded Cranes
As of April 28th, four of the radioed birds had reached the nesting
grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park. The first arrived Apr. 25th.
birds are in Saskatechewan; one is near the Alberta border and five
are scattered through the central portion of the province. The last
bird just left Nebraska for North Dakota. (Journey
Map will be updated to show locations when data comes in on April
Stehn, Whooping Crane Coordinator
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge