Stimulus cash headed to Blaine ranches $430,000 will go toward restoring wetlands, bird habitat

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to direct $430,000 toward rehabilitation of more than 1,000 acres of bird and wildlife habitat on the Crystal Creek and Spring Creek ranches in southern Blaine County.

TSEPA: GBRA/SARA Spend $2 Million in Public Funds in an Attempt to Dodge Liabilities to Endangered Whooping Crane

Members of Texans for a Sound Energy Policy Alliance (TSEPA) today criticized GBRA/SARA's release of a seven-year, $2 million publicly-funded study that found little to no new information to alleviate their responsibility to the federally-protected endangered whooping crane.

Bird study linked to water debate

The marshes along San Antonio Bay produce enough food — even when little water is flowing from the Guadalupe River — to sustain the flock of endangered whooping cranes that winter there, according to a new study that could play a key role the state’s ongoing debate over water rights.-By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Spring blizzard destroys Calgary Zoo's endangered whooping crane eggs

CALGARY - Unseasonably cold weather has dealt a blow to the Calgary Zoo's whooping crane breeding program, freezing two of the rare birds' eggs.

New study finds adequate food for whooping cranes

SEGUIN, Texas — The winter food supply for whooping cranes in South Texas appears to be more than adequate, according to a seven-year study on the effects of freshwater inflows on habitat.

Ventisquero and Operation Migration: A New Partnership Takes Wing

ATLANTA, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Vina Ventisquero's Yali brand and Operation Migration (OM) are proud to announce a new strategic partnership whose objective is to build awareness and support for a unique type of conservation work that seeks to rescue one of the most famous of North America's endangered species from extinction.

Eight cases of extreme species rescue

Less than 20 of the enormous North American whooping cranes were alive in 1940, and the bird was declared endangered in 1967....

The return of the cranes

ISLAND PARK — Sandhill cranes have returned to their mating and nesting grounds. They raucous, gravelly calls echo across the caldera. They came here in large flocks from wintering grounds in Texas, Utah, Mexico, and California. Soon after arrival, they split up into pairs established as recently as last fall and as many as 20 years ago — they mate for life. - By ELIZABETH LADEN

Cooperation for protected forest

Efforts to preserve a section of forest in Preah Vihear province have yielded joint management plans and other evidence of cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia.

Congress passes the Crane Conservation Act

This is good news for the world's 15 crane species. The congress passes this legislation by a 288-166 margin. Next, it's off to the Senate where it is being pushed by crane supporters Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold. This act will provide funding through a grant program and encourage a relationship between the Dept. of the Interior and groups, such as the International Crane Foundation, that are committed to saving cranes.

An Operation Migration/Whooping Crane Article

22 April 2009
www.dailymail.co.uk

Is it a bird? Well, no, it's a plane... but to these cranes it's mum. They've been tricked into believing this featherless microlight is the parent they should follow.

Winged Migration on Blu-Ray

This was a beautiful movie before. I cannot imagine how this will look in high definition form.

Crane deaths raise alarm about water rights

23 whoopers died over the winter and biologists blame low river flow

Ted Turner and Ned Lamont discuss the Red-crowned and White-naped cranes in the Korean DMZ

He described a visit to North Korea during which he wanted to discuss, among other things, landmines and the fate of the white naped and red crowned cranes, who use the DMZ as a rest area on their migration pattern.

After Setback, Sandhill Cranes On Their Way North

This very short article mentions the how some 30,000+ cranes had a short delay in Nebraska due to severe weather.

Feeding grounds - The Boston Globe

This articles discusses the spring migration of the Sandhill crane and their stop on the Platte River. It includes a morning video from one of the blinds on the river.

Dance with Japanese Cranes

A beautifully captured video of Red-crowned Cranes from shariksharik (YouTube video). Wonderful images and vocalizations.

A great weekly blog from Muraviovka Park

Wild Cronicles - Sarus Crane video

http://tinyurl.com/dd6j7j


















photo taken from www.Flickr.com
using under creative commons rights
Photographer: dhruvaraj

'Green' projects hurting wildlife?

The graceful sandhill crane, for example, makes its winter home in the wetlands of New Mexico's Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, right next to the path of the proposed power line.

New book explores balance between man, environment

At the Sand Hill Crane Festival in Nebraska, Dunne observes the struggle between maintaining the sand hill cranes’ habitat and meeting the farmers’ need for water.

Environmentalists alarmed as Alta, considers crane hunt

CALGARY — Alberta environmentalists are crying foul over a push for a sandhill crane hunt in the province — arguing that outdoorsmen might mistake endangered whooping cranes for the more common sandhills.

Aino the satellite-crane is approaching her home marsh

A Eurasian crane (Grus grus) by the name Aino is no common crane, as she was fitted with a satellite transmitter in Salla, Eastern Lapland in May 2008, in order that her migration route could be observed on a regular basis.

Sandhill crane spring migration winding down in Nebraska

Hokkaido may give Taiwan pair of special cranes in show of good will

Hokkaido may give a pair of red-crowned cranes, a species designated as a special national treasure, to Taiwan, following Taipei's plan to open a representative office in the prefecture, sources said Wednesday.

Drought takes toll on Texas wildlife

Despite welcome rains in late March, much of Texas remains parched by prolonged drought of historic proportions, and wildlife die-offs of whooping cranes and deer have been reported.

Evidence proves additional whoopers dead

The 10th aerial census of the 2008-09 crane season at Aransas was conducted April 7 with United States Wildlife Service observer Tom Stehn flying in a Cessna 210 piloted by Gary Ritchey of Air Transit Solutions

8 nesting pairs in Necedah Wildlife Refuge

ICF's Sara Zimorski and Eva Szyszkoski have confirmed 8 nesting pairs in the Necedah Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. They believe there may be another 4 potential pairs they feel will nest soon.

Taking wing at the largest flyway in the world

As we arrive at the Hula Valley Park and Nature Reserve, a huge flock of gray cranes lifts suddenly into the air and begins circling on the warm thermals above the park. There are hundreds and hundreds of the huge birds gliding in large, lazy circles above the lake and marshes, first white, then black, then silver.

NATURE WISE — Bird migration a sign that spring is in the air

Sandhill cranes perform a courtship to remember

Surgeon to try to fix whooping crane's broken leg

1 year old Whooping Crane #826 was found in Gridley, Illinois. The crane's leg is broken in 10 different places. It was found after the flock it flew in with took off to finish their northern migration. The crane is at the Wildlife Clinic at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. More information about #826 at the UI College of VM is located here: http://vetmed.illinois.edu/wmc/

The valiant effort to save North America's biggest bird from extinction has suffered a setback

EDMONTON — When the world's last remaining flock of wild whooping cranes set off on its migration south from the nesting grounds on the Alberta/Northwest Territories border last fall, wildlife biologists on both sides of the border were upbeat about how the 4,000-kilometre flight to Texas would turn out.

Sarus cranes returning to Tram Chim

PANO - Sarus cranes, a rare species listed in the Red Book, are now flocking back to Tram Chim National Park, Tam Nong District, Dong Thap Province.

Many have been observed living in sections A1 and A5 of the National Park.

This is good news since the sarus cranes fled from Tram Chim, which was once their habitat, because of a large fire within the park area some years ago.

The return of the birds also indicates that the environment in the park has gradually been restored.

Tram Chim is home to more than 250 kinds of birds, including many in the Red Book.

Translated by Thu Nguyen

Farmers threaten crane conservation project

Farmers living in the Mekong Delta area are digging canal through the wetlands. The Vietnam government has ordered the farmers to stop digging the canal but the crane habitat has already been dramatically affected.

Uncommon Cranes

An article in Egypt Today about Common & Demoiselle cranes.

Police capture crane hunters red-handed

This article was from over 2 months ago but I found it interesting that they were hunting cranes, presumably, to serve at a local restaurant. From the photo in the article, I would say it might have been 2 adult Eurasians along with 2 chicks.

Cranes: Their Biology, Husbandry and Conservation

David H. Ellis, George F. Gee, and Claire M. Mirande, editors. 1996 Cranes: their biology, husbandry and conservation. U.S. Department of the Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, DC and International Crane Foundation, Baraboo, Wisconsin. 1996. xii, 308 p.

Beautiful pictures of Black-necked Cranes flying in SW China

Poyang Lake sees more winter migrating fowl

Xinhua News Agency March 27, 2009

"The number of migratory birds living this winter in Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, increased by 27.4 percent compared to four years ago."

China's biggest natural wetland reserve welcomes migrating birds

March 31, 2009

"According to the Wildlife Conservation Association in Liaoning, there are currently 263 bird species in the Panjin Shuangtaizi Estuary Natural Reserve, including 116 types of waterfowl, of which the main species are the red-crowned crane, white crane, Larus Saundersi, and black-tailed godwit."

Warming climate leads to record number of rare birds breeding in Britain

Record numbers of rare birds are breeding in Britain because of the warming climate and improved habitats, new research suggests.

Worry about whoopers

The valiant effort to save North America's biggest bird from extinction has suffered a setback --nearly one-fifth of the cranes have died in the last 12 months. Drought and a wasting disease are the latest threats

Sandhill found shot with arrow-treated and released