Operation Migration 2013 (1 Viewer)

Mitchelle · Oct 23, 2013

October 22: What a Day!

“I’ll be brief as I’m posting from my phone. Two cranes made it the 39 miles to Green County, WI with Richard as their leader. Six others dropped out in three locations between Lodi and Middleton.

All have been collected and are now either at the new site or on their way.”
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 24, 2013

October 23: Standing Down Today

Pilots feel it’s just a bit too breezy to risk a flight this morning. We’ll be down for the day in Green County, WI.

(See account of non-migratory cranes.)
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 25, 2013

October 24: No Go Today

[But] Be sure to check the 2013 Image Gallery to see some photos from Tuesday’s adventure!

“So Brooke. What’s the hardest thing about flying with birds?”

“Well Jimmy, I’ll tell ya. The hardest thing about flying with birds is NOT flying with birds!”

And it’s the truth. Standing down due to unfavorable weather conditions day after day singing “Hurry Up and Wait” and “All Dressed Up and No Place to Go” songs gets very old, especially when sung by a crew that can’t carry a tune.

http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 25, 2013

October 25: All Eight Ride on the Wind and Say Goodbye to Wisconsin

All eight birds [are] off the right wing in a nice neat row. (See pic. It’s really cool looking.) The slow climb into the sunrise had us in smooth air. Although the ground speed was slow, the flight was uneventful and after an hour twenty minutes we descended into our next stop in Illinois.

Distance: 34 Miles / Total Distance: 120 Miles
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 27, 2013

October 26: Wind

Winds are currently 12mph on the surface and from the southwest, which means we won’t be going anywhere today. Aloft at 3000ft they are blowing at a very healthy 40-50 knots.

10/25/2013 Touch Down, Illinois (Video)
Beauty: Permalink -- http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/10/25/touch-down-in-illinois/

Mitchelle · Oct 27, 2013

October 27: They Tried

Shortly after launching, with all eight Whooping Cranes, conditions aloft deteriorated. The results were that they had a 30 minute flight exercise over the area and then were returned to their travel enclosure.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 28, 2013

October 28: Down Day

Winds do have a northerly component to them this morning but they are too unsteady and gusting to attempt a departure from Winnebago County. This is the third day down at our current location.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Oct 29, 2013

October 29: No Flight Today

We won’t be going anywhere today. Winds aloft are directly out of the south at 10 knots, which would turn our 55 mile flight into a 3-hour trip.

We’ll be spending another day in Windybago County, IL.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

A Fool’s Game

“In an effort to safeguard Whooping cranes from extinction, we raise a new generation each year. We keep them isolated from all things human and teach them to migrate from Wisconsin to Florida but it’s a fool’s game….

…Then the success of the entire effort depends on which way the wind is blowing.”
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/10/29/a-fools-game/

Mitchelle · Oct 30, 2013

October 30: Fog

South winds continue to push warm, moist air into the area. As a result this morning we have fog – thick fog.

Today is down day #5 at our current location in Winnebago County, IL
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Fog is a collection of liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated locally (such as from a nearby body of water, like a lake or the ocean, or from nearby moist ground or marshes).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog

Mitchelle · Oct 31, 2013

October 31: No Treat

South winds continue to push warm, moist air into the area. It’s currently a very balmy 62 degrees and storms should begin shortly. We will be staying put today.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/10/31/staying-put-today/

Mitchelle · Nov 1, 2013

November 1: One Week Down

It’s been a week since we arrived in Winnebago County, IL and it will be at least another day before we’re able to advance further.

Winds continue to blow too strong and from the wrong direction for us to attempt a flight today.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Time Line Compared to Past Years
http://operationmigration.org/migration_timelines.htm

Mitchelle · Nov 2, 2013

November 2: Down Day 8

The bad news is they’re just a bit too strong….
…BUT! Tomorrow is looking promising…
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

It’s the Little Things

I also think of how many millions of people in the world would give anything to have a porta-loo vs. having to use an open ditch running through their village.

And again I think about those same millions of people without roofs over their heads, never mind furnaces and thermostats with minds of their own…
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/02/its-the-little-things/

Mitchelle · Nov 3, 2013

November 3: Fifty-five Miles

Sunrise now occurs an hour earlier at 6:32am CT.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/03/is-today-the-day/

All 8 Whooping cranes launched with Brooke at 6:57am.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/03/migration-day-33-update/

After a couple of hours plus, we are over our destination. Looking down, I’m struck by how familiar it is having served this roll for so many years.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/03/migration-day-33-update/

Even when #1 lagged back in momentary confusion and was picked up by Richard, the rest eagerly continued, forming off the left wing in a line as orderly as a stage full of high stepping Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, plowing into a headwind for the fifty-five mile flight.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/03/lead-pilot-report-game-day/

They landed at our LaSalle County stopover at exactly 9:00am making today’s 55 mile flight, 2 hours and 3 minutes in duration.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/03/migration-day-33-update/

http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Nov 5, 2013

November 4: Standing Down

…which indicates 40-50 knots. We’ll be staying put today.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Images from Sunday
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/04/images-from-yesterday/

Mitchelle · Nov 6, 2013

November 5: Another Down Day

Moments after Richard launched his trike came word that we’re down for the day. South winds at altitude made his ground speed 19mph, which would mean almost 3 hours to fly the 55 miles to the next location.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Nov 7, 2013

November 6: Down Again

Rain and wind will keep us grounded for at least another day in LaSalle County, IL…
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Nov 8, 2013

November 7: Fifty-five Miles to Livingston County

Lead Pilot Report

As we continued upwards our ground speed also increased with the wind slowly turning to our backs. The miles quickly ticked by while the birds switched places with each other and the trike wing.

About halfway there, flying along at 3200 feet ASL the wind began to unwind, turning back to our front and slowly we lost our tailwind. By the time we were approaching our next stop in Livingston County all hopes of skipping were dashed as the tail wind turned into a head wind.
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/07/lead-pilot-report-5/

Date: 11/07/2013 Migration Day: 37
Dist. Traveled: 55 miles Total Dist. 230 miles
Location: Livingston County, IL
See pics: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/07/migration-update-3/

http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Nov 9, 2013

November 8: Another Successful Flight

…all eight Whooping cranes stayed with Brooke Pennypacker for the entire 59 mile flight to Piatt County.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Mitchelle · Nov 9, 2013

November 9: Lying Low

Winds this morning are strong – rocking the RV strength – at 15 mph and from a southerly direction. We’ll be standing down today at our Piatt County, IL migration stop.

But yesterday: flying high.

Rack ‘em Up
Permalink: http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/2013/11/09/lead-pilot-report-rack-em-up/

Flying over Illinois is like hanging from a lamp over a pool table.

…After about an hour, the unthinkable occurred. We were accosted by a tailwind! Say it isn’t so! I kid you not. The birds looked down at me in amazement. “Who’s blowing that cold air up our butts?” All I could say was, “Kick back, my little friends, and watch the earth scoot by faster and faster beneath you.”

The Team: http://www.operationmigration.org/omteam.html

Mitchelle · Nov 11, 2013

November 10: Standing Down on Day 40

Winds this morning are from a favorable direction; however, they’re a tad too strong. On the surface we’re getting readings between 5 – 9 mph on course to our next destination, and aloft they’re showing 35 knots. We’ll be standing down today.
http://operationmigration.org/InTheField/

Operation Migration 2013 (1 Viewer)

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Similar threads

Users who are viewing this thread