I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes
I am taking a break from my vacation photos and doing a post on a more recent outing.
On Aug 4th hubby and I signed up for a tour of the Whooping Crane research center at Patuxent Wildlife refuge. It was interesting learning about the Whooping Cranes, how they are being helped in their recovery and return from the brink of extinction. Back in the 1940's fewer than 25 Whooping Cranes existed. In 1967 a research team collected 12 eggs to start a breeding colony that is now at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife research Center. Their brochure states now there are fewer than 500 wild Whooping Cranes left in the world. Photos are not the best because of the fences and distance, but it was still exciting to see the Whooping Cranes.
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Above whooping crane Mr Lonely, research center, replica of the ultralight aircraft, Sandhill Cranes
That seems like a scary amount to me, I feel sad when I hear any bird or animal is close to extinction. I have seen flocks of bird numbers in the thousands at one time. So to hear the Whooping Cranes are so few, makes me want to help too. I thank the volunteers at the research center who give their time to take care of the Whooping cranes and their chicks.
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Mr Lonely has been separated as he is a naughty crane attacking and hurting some of other cranes.
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Above is one of the Sandhill chicks. We were told sometimes they use Sandhill Cranes to help incubate eggs when there is an inexperienced Whooping Crane involved. The Sandhill Cranes make great adopted parents.
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More Sandhill Cranes, we were only allowed so close to the Whooping Cranes and the Sandhill Cranes. They get over excited if anything little thing upsets their routine, we were told also to be very quiet. The Whooping Crane chicks that are raised at the research center are actually fed by volunteers that have to wear costumes that resemble a Whooping Crane.
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Mr Lonely was the closest Whooping Crane, others were further away in similar pens. At Patuxent, I believe there are close to seventy adult Whooping Cranes and there are some chicks designated to be transferred to help populate the Louisiana Whooping Crane population. Some crane chicks are trained to fly and migrate behind the ultralight aircraft. And a few chicks are retained at Patuxent to help enhance genetic diversity.
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The pilot has to also wear the whooping Crane costume. There are three different Whooping Crane flocks. One migrates from the Wood Buffalo Nat'l Park to Aransas Nat'l Refuge, the other migrates from Necedah NWR to a Florida NWR and the Patuxent NWR which helps to populate the Louisiana flock.
Anyone can help the Whooping Cranes by a donating to the organization Adopt a Whooper with the Friends of Patuxent. Here is a link Adopt a Whooper.
I think it is a cool idea to donate $25 for an egg, $50 for a chick. It is just a small way to help the Whooping Cranes.
I hope you enjoyed my post, to see more beautiful birds check out Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes.
Thanks to Stewart the host of Wild Bird Wednesday and to Michelle the host of Nature Notes. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great week. Happy Birding!
I am taking a break from my vacation photos and doing a post on a more recent outing.
On Aug 4th hubby and I signed up for a tour of the Whooping Crane research center at Patuxent Wildlife refuge. It was interesting learning about the Whooping Cranes, how they are being helped in their recovery and return from the brink of extinction. Back in the 1940's fewer than 25 Whooping Cranes existed. In 1967 a research team collected 12 eggs to start a breeding colony that is now at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife research Center. Their brochure states now there are fewer than 500 wild Whooping Cranes left in the world. Photos are not the best because of the fences and distance, but it was still exciting to see the Whooping Cranes.
That seems like a scary amount to me, I feel sad when I hear any bird or animal is close to extinction. I have seen flocks of bird numbers in the thousands at one time. So to hear the Whooping Cranes are so few, makes me want to help too. I thank the volunteers at the research center who give their time to take care of the Whooping cranes and their chicks.
More Sandhill Cranes, we were only allowed so close to the Whooping Cranes and the Sandhill Cranes. They get over excited if anything little thing upsets their routine, we were told also to be very quiet. The Whooping Crane chicks that are raised at the research center are actually fed by volunteers that have to wear costumes that resemble a Whooping Crane.
Mr Lonely was the closest Whooping Crane, others were further away in similar pens. At Patuxent, I believe there are close to seventy adult Whooping Cranes and there are some chicks designated to be transferred to help populate the Louisiana Whooping Crane population. Some crane chicks are trained to fly and migrate behind the ultralight aircraft. And a few chicks are retained at Patuxent to help enhance genetic diversity.
The pilot has to also wear the whooping Crane costume. There are three different Whooping Crane flocks. One migrates from the Wood Buffalo Nat'l Park to Aransas Nat'l Refuge, the other migrates from Necedah NWR to a Florida NWR and the Patuxent NWR which helps to populate the Louisiana flock.
Anyone can help the Whooping Cranes by a donating to the organization Adopt a Whooper with the Friends of Patuxent. Here is a link Adopt a Whooper.
I think it is a cool idea to donate $25 for an egg, $50 for a chick. It is just a small way to help the Whooping Cranes.
I hope you enjoyed my post, to see more beautiful birds check out Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes.
Thanks to Stewart the host of Wild Bird Wednesday and to Michelle the host of Nature Notes. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great week. Happy Birding!
