[birdky] TN Whooping Crane images
- From: <birder1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2007 17:33:24 -0600
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
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