[TN-Bird] RFI on a Group of Five Southbound Sandhill Cranes

From: Fred <fred@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:44:16 -0500
Hello.

This may be an unusual request (a "long shot"), but here goes...

I am hoping that someone might have recently seen (and maybe even
photographed) a particular group of five sandhill cranes (one having
an obvious notch in the left wing - please see photo info below) that
was heading southbound from Wareham Massachusetts to Florida (or
thereabouts).  Here's the story:

There is a group of five sandhill cranes that recently left Wareham
Massachusetts (just across Buzzards Bay from Cape Cod) on their way to
Florida (I would assume).  These birds have spent part of each year
for the last several years on the cranberry bogs and ponds of Wareham
MA, and they have been actively watched by MA birders (especially
since sandhill cranes are pretty rare birds "up here" in
Massachusetts).

On October 29th, the last day the cranes were seen in Wareham, a group
of five cranes were spotted flying from MA into RI, and later that day
there was a report from a hawk watch in Greenwich CT recording a tight
formation of five cranes heading further down the coast.

Then, on October 30th, there were two northwestern NJ reports, of a
group of five cranes seen both lifting off the ground at Merrill Creek
NJ and of a group of five in the air at a hawk watch at Scott's
Mountain NJ.

And, on November 3rd, a group of five cranes were heard and then seen
overhead (by Vicki DeLoach) at Woodstock GA heading southward (and a
bit unusual because that was somewhat earlier than the usual migration
of sandhill cranes coming from Hiwassee TN through that area - in
fact, it was Vicki's FOTS sandhills).

Of course, the big question is, ARE THEY THE SAME FIVE CRANES?  While
certainly not completely definitive, a comparison of a photo taken of
the birds in flight at the Scott's Mountain NJ hawk watch on 10/30 (
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrd_photos/4063137832/sizes/l/ ) and my
photos from Wareham MA of "our" cranes flying at sunset on 10/26 (
http://fredw.smugmug.com/Animals/WarehamCraneberryCranes-102609/10104828_2y3Tr/1/693923477_HJvqD/Large
http://fredw.smugmug.com/Animals/WarehamCraneberryCranes-102609/10104828_2y3Tr/1/693925004_AH4v3/Large
), shows one of the five cranes in each case having what might seem to
be the same notch in its left wing.  (The notch is quite obvious in a
photo, but may not be so obvious to an observer's eyes.)

What is most intriguing, I think, is that the cranes may be taking a
somewhat inland route, just east of the Appalachians, rather than a
more coastal route.  (Of course, who knows what is a "normal" path for
uncommon northeastern sandhill cranes migrating to and from Florida or
thereabouts?)

So, I have been trying to ask those on the flyways to Florida, where
the cranes might be heading for the winter season, if anyone happened
to see (and maybe even photographed) a distinctive group of five
sandhill cranes going over.

The group may possibly have gone through the eastern TN area, having
come from the northeast, before heading into northern GA, a few days
ago in early November.  Certainly there must be a lot of birders
thereabouts who are familiar with seeing sandhill cranes overhead. So,
any reports?

Yes, I know that this sounds like a "wild crane chase", but who knows...

Thanks for listening.

Fred (Frederick Wasti)

Marshfield Massachusetts ("craneberry country")

=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
      To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
                    tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
                To unsubscribe, send email to:
                 tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
            with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
                ------------------------------
                Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
                         Cleveland, OH
                -------------------------------
               Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
                          Rosedale, VA
__________________________________________________________
         
          Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
              web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                          ARCHIVES
 TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/

                       MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com

_____________________________________________________________
[TN-Bird] RFI on a Group of Five Southbound Sandhill Cranes

Other related posts:
