[TN-Bird] Nov. 24 Whooper update

Hiwassee Refuge 
Meigs Co.,TN.

If you will, allow me one more sports metaphor courtesy of Bill Haley.  
Approximately fifty plus people were on hand this morning for the "instant 
replay."   Things got off to a really slow start due in part to a heavy fog 
blanketing the refuge.  It was a perfect time to socialize with new and old 
friends.  

 As the fog began to burn away the ultra lights reappeared for the second 
morning to pick up the twelve Whooping cranes and take them to the first 
stopover in Georgia.  When the first ultra light swooped low behind the tree 
cover my heart began to beat a little faster in anticipation of the next 
moment when I would again see it and the Cranes that would be following it!  
As they flew up and away, all appeared to be a text book example of how to 
get this thing right the first time, but within seconds absolutely everything 
began to go wrong.  For the pilots it had to be very gut wrenching.  For the 
spectators it was a bonanza.  Cranes and planes were all over and everywhere 
at once.  Most of the new visitors probably had no idea how special this was 
to those of us who have come for three years now only to be rewarded with a 
snippet of a view as the cranes picked up and flew immediately away from us.  
Today was truly our day, by far better than any of the views from yesterday.  
Several times the birds were just over our heads.  I mean like reach out and 
touch them close!

Part of the groups of cranes would line up three or four birds at a time on 
the trike wings and begin to surf, but the other part of the group would 
break away and head back toward the security of the pen. This behavior would 
happen over and over.  In desperation or exasperation the pilots returned 
them to the pen.  I later found out it was so the ultra lights could be 
refilled with gas.  Think about it---these planes are equipped to fly seventy 
or more miles on each leg of migration and they had flown around in circles 
over our tiny little area for so long that they now required refueling.

During intermission I had commented to Danny and Anita Gaddy that two of last 
year's cranes, numbers one and two, had been reported in the area.  We were 
wondering what would happen if these cranes were to see the ultra lights and 
think...Mama!!!!!!! and come running.
 
The second attempt was much the same as the first with one tiny exception.  
This time only six cranes were released from the pen. After much flying about 
they made a huge cirlce and had just about regrouped when they disappeared 
behind a pine thicket way out over the river.  As they reappeared one at a 
time I began to count.  One, two, three..... Hey! There are now EIGHT birds!  
How'd this happen?  "Did anyone see more cranes released?"    There was 
static on Roi Shannons radio.  It was tuned in to the pilots frequency.  They 
too had noticed the increase in numbers.  One of the chase ultra lights flew 
in and commented " looks like we've picked up two adult cranes, probably one 
and two from last year."  This group flew out of sight.  Over the radio we 
learned that two immatures were returning to the pen.  Then we heard that 
another immature bird had also decided to break away from the group.  The 
pilot asked for permission to fly on to Georgia with his group of two adults 
and three young and was granted his request.  It was decided to crate the 
other nine birds and truck them to Georgia to rejoin the group.  As the 
migrating pilot flew out of radio range we never heard what happened to his 
unusual group of five birds other than they had managed to fly past Dalton, 
GA.

I'll end up by saying something about hastiness and modern technology.  You 
should have seen the young lady way down by the Operation Migration grounds 
crew trailer.  She was the epitome of ingenuity.  Cardboard and duct tape 
along with a whirlwind of activity and presto, she had homemade crane crates. 

We all left at this time because we felt it was best for the cranes welfare 
that as they were driven back by the gazebo they wouldn't hear human voices.  
What a morning!
We will all have to check Heather Ray's "in the field" report later tonight 
for  further details.(www.operationmigration.org).  

I won't bother to go into the matter of when at one point the birds wouldn't 
just fly south, Heather asked to borrow a shot gun.  SHE WAS JUST KIDDING!  
Neither will I touch the remarks about another kind of bird being invited for 
Thanksgiving dinner.  This comment was by an anonymous lady and was not 
Ms.Ray.  Nor would I ever mention another young lady who wouldn't leave until 
I did.  She was afraid she might miss something.

I'm afraid to sign this---
Jimmy Wilkerson
Hixson, TN.



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