Hurricane Rita and Aransas NWR Flock of Whooping Cranes

[larry h.]

This question would be better on a birding website, but I do not

belong to any. Sorry

 

Does anyone know if the Whoopers have arrived in Texas at Aransas

NWR yet for the winter? If so, Hurricane Rita may be the disaster

that conservation biologists have feared for decades. Probably the

people who would know best are gone from their computers by now, but

I am hoping one of you out there knows. In any case, thankfully, the

ultralight-led whooper flock that migrates from Wisconsin to Florida

has been established.

[Roger G]

Larry,

I think - hope - it's too early for the whooping cranes to be on their wintering grounds. Mid-October seems like the usual arrival time.

Roger.

[Roger G]

In 2004 the first showed on October 12th.

[mbb]

Average early arrival time to ANWR ? middle of October. Best time to visit is November as the weather is often still OK and boat trip is very pleasant. Only trips by boat can get close enough for good viewing. Observation tower in ANWR is very far away and one will see only few white points if lucky.

 

I am more worry what happened to 2 cranes living in New Orleans Zoo when Katrina left but did not find any specific news.

 

Here is a last report from Wood Buffalo NP:

 

http://www.ccbirding.com/twc/2005/2005_0819.html<div></div>

[stemked]

Hi Larry.

 

Aransas is an incredible place to go, lots of wildlife other than the cranes which are better seen from boat tours out of Rockport. As noted the cranes won't be there yet and it looks like the storm will be well to the east (on the weaker side of the storm). As those of us who have lived on the Gulf coast know though these storms sometimes do odd things, loops and completely change direction, so we'll have to wait it out.

[larry h.]

Thanks. All good news. I was at Aransas only once, in the early 80's, but it was during the summer. I didn't know any better then. The Florida flock flies near my city, but I respect the requests not to turn them into a tourist attraction, thus endangering the success of the ultralight aircraft flights. I do want to see a whooping crane, a condor and an ivory billed woodpecker one day. But I will also be happy just knowing that they exist if I never get to.

[larry h.]

Mark, I meant to say that is an excellent picture of an elusive species. Congratulations.

[mbb]

Thanks Larry. Another reason I recommend to visit ANWR in November is that if you can have a few days to spend there you can watch parents still feeding very often young ones. And even more interesting, teaching them to find food that is very different from nesting site. Main diet on wintering ground includes a lot of blue crabs. And crabs are not easy to eat. Young have to be taught to do that. This was a problem when first migration flock was introduced to Florida wintering site. Even with plenty of alternative food, whooping cranes have to eat crabs if they want to be successful in raising young next spring. As being very territorial it is a splendid view when whooping cranes chasing away sandhill cranes which decided to land too close. At that time you can hear a lot of whooping calls :).

[sergey_oboguev]

News from New Orleans Audubon zoo was that all animals survived except one raccoon and one another similar animal (small mammal, I do not remember exactly what species). Thus the cranes must have made it.

 

Incidentally, I happened to be to N.O. zoo in early June and spent some time watching (and shooting a little) this crane couple.

[glivingston]

Larry,

I live in Austin about 3 and 1/2 hours away from Aransas and go to the refuge often so I followed Rita closely last week. I'm fairly certain the cranes have not arrived--they usually arrive in mid-Oct. The really good news is that Rita missed Aransas altogther. Early last week, Aransas County officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of the county; the order was cancelled on Thursday, September 22 because of Rita's change in direction, and residents were told that it was safe to return. I guess the bad news is that some other sensitive areas on the Texas/Louisiana coast got the brunt of it.