What is the oddball in this flock? (2 Viewers)

[SteveC_07]

Actually I don't need any ID help, I just wanted to rub it in. I just got back from Cheyenne Bottoms.

 

[lou salomon]

american white? that's a gorgeous flock, steve :king:

 

[SteveC_07]

american white? that's a gorgeous flock, steve :king:

Yes, as excited as I was about the American White Pelican, the thirteen Whooping Cranes kind of made my year.

 

[Lisa W]

. . . the thirteen Whooping Cranes kind of made my year.

They would have made mine also. We get Sandhill Cranes, but no Whoopers.

 

[SteveC_07]

They would have made mine also. We get Sandhill Cranes, but no Whoopers.

I was told there were 5 more Whoopers in a marsh north of these that were mixed in with thousands of Sandhill Cranes. I drove up for a look but couldn't find them. I didn't try too hard though, I figured I was getting greedy. Here's an enlarged and cropped picture.

 

[Birdingcraft]

Yes, pretty nice and envy generating flock! Thanks for posting those images- one of the main species lacking from my list.

 

[SteveC_07]

one of the main species lacking from my list.

Birdingcraft,

I think you'd better get up to Aransas NWR, I don't think the birds will be flying all the way to you.

 

[Jon Turner]

Is this part of the result of the captive breeding programme? If so what great news! You have every right to gloat!

Jon

 

[SteveC_07]

Is this part of the result of the captive breeding programme? If so what great news! You have every right to gloat!

Jon

These birds are part of what's known as the Aransas flock because they winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. This is the only wild, self-sustaining population of Whoopers left. This group had a disastrous year last year - 20 of the birds starved to death because of the severe drought at Aransas. Now there are only 190 birds left in this group.

Most of the captive bred birds are in zoos or part of a non-migratory population in Florida. Some captive bred birds were placed with populations of Sandhill Cranes that migrate to Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico but I think they have had breeding issues with Whoopers living with Sandhills.

I was very fortunate to be able to spend an hour watching these birds.

 

[Birdingcraft]

Birdingcraft,

I think you'd better get up to Aransas NWR, I don't think the birds will be flying all the way to you.

No, they won't make it down here! I wish I would have made the trip to Aransas when I lived in the states- still plan on getting up there at some future time.

 

[Jon Turner]

These birds are part of what's known as the Aransas flock because they winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. This is the only wild, self-sustaining population of Whoopers left. This group had a disastrous year last year - 20 of the birds starved to death because of the severe drought at Aransas. Now there are only 190 birds left in this group.

Most of the captive bred birds are in zoos or part of a non-migratory population in Florida. Some captive bred birds were placed with populations of Sandhill Cranes that migrate to Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico but I think they have had breeding issues with Whoopers living with Sandhills.

I was very fortunate to be able to spend an hour watching these birds.

Thanks for that Steve.

Jon

 

[emupilot]

There were actually 247 birds as of this spring, down from 270 or so a year ago.

These birds are part of what's known as the Aransas flock because they winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. This is the only wild, self-sustaining population of Whoopers left. This group had a disastrous year last year - 20 of the birds starved to death because of the severe drought at Aransas. Now there are only 190 birds left in this group.

Most of the captive bred birds are in zoos or part of a non-migratory population in Florida. Some captive bred birds were placed with populations of Sandhill Cranes that migrate to Alabama, Mississippi, and New Mexico but I think they have had breeding issues with Whoopers living with Sandhills.

I was very fortunate to be able to spend an hour watching these birds.

 

[SteveC_07]

There were actually 247 birds as of this spring, down from 270 or so a year ago.

Is that total or just the Aransas group?