FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Re: TN Whooping Crane images

["Millie" <kymillie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just got breaking news email that 733 has been found, soaring with some 
sandhills over Scottsburg, IN.  Rescue teams are on the way.... Millie Farmer
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Millie 
  To: birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2007 11:57 AM
  Subject: [birdky] Re: TN Whooping Crane images


  These are great.  Someone should send a couple of these pics to the 
Courier-Journal and also the TV stations here in Louisville, where 733 has 
gotten a lot of publicity. If people know what the bird looks like, there 
probably would be less false reports of sightings.....

  Millie Farmer
  St. Matthews, KY
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    To: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 6:33 PM
    Subject: [birdky] TN Whooping Crane images


    If anyone is interested, I have placed a few shots of a stray Whooping 
Crane that was found here in west TN over the weekend. The bird was found 
Saturday at Oneal Lake on the Hatchie National Wildlife Refuge in Haywood Co. I 
know some of you may get over to see the Whoopers of Operation Migration when 
they come through, but it was a real treat for us over on this end of TN. Of 
course they are regular in east TN at Hiwassee as well.

    This female Whooper was hatched this year, and is part of the Direct Autumn 
Release program in which captive-born birds follow adults that already know the 
migration route. She got separated earlier this month from the two other 
Whoopers she was traveling with. The crane folks know about her know, and 
reportedly are planning to try and get her back. Would be interesting to see 
them in the adult Whooping Crane costume that "Makida" is receptive to.

    The photos are from much-closer range than I had expected, or intended on. 
I got there Monday morning just before dawn, on a very dreary morning. I saw 
the Crane with some Egrets perched out in the middle of the lake. Jeff Wilson 
got there shortly after and we set up to observe the bird. Shortly afterwards, 
she made a circuit of the lake, then came in and landed literally 20 yards from 
us out on the flats near the visitor parking lot and deck area . This is where 
the bird likes to hang out. We took a few shots and then moved back some to get 
some distance from the bird, and also to try and do some digiscoping. The 
photos came out better than expected with the near total lack of light we had. 

    Anyway, if interested: 
http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/gallery/hatchie_nwr_whooping_crane  Double-clicking 
any image will enlarge it.

    Good Birding!!

    Mike Todd
    McKenzie, TN
    birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
    www.pbase.com/mctodd