KY Birders: During the last few days, eight (8) Whooping Cranes which are part of the introduced flock which wintered at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in the central gulf coast area of Flordia, began their migration north and were blown off course into western North Carolina. The birds have been lost by the tracking team from the U.S.F&W.S. and the International Crane Foundation. They were last seen on Saturday when the departed the Little Tenness River eight miles north of Franklin, NC. The tracking team monitoring the eastern migratory Whooping Cranes was unable to track them to their final destination on Saturday night, and also didn't receive any useful satellite data. Sunday evening they again failed to receive useful data. If anyone in the birding community has spotted the birds or discovers where they are roosting and feeding, please let me know as soon as possible. I am in field contact with the team and will relay immediate information and possibly put you in touch with them. . If you or anyone you know discovers these giant birds, please remember that they are sensitive juveniles and any approach to them will make them less fearful of humans and make it extremely difficult for the project to to be successful. The birds may be anywhere in the western part of Virginia, the entire state of West Virginia, Kentucky, eastern Tennessee or still in western North Carolina. Please do not apporach the birds. Do not walk into nearby habitat. Stay as far away from the birds as possible. There is no need to make any photographs for any reasons. You can observe the color markers on the birds legs and the radio transmitters on the birds from a considerable distance with a scope. Even if you can't see any markers or any radios, eight Whooping Cranes are the only ones lost and being searched for. Thanks for your cooperation and let me know as soon as possible about any birds you hear about or see. I may be reached at (423) 764-3958. Leave a message if I am not in. Let's go birding..... Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN ================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS============== The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign your messages with first & last name, city, & state abbreviation. -------------------------------------------------- To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to: birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx