The weather has lifted, and thanks to the Operation Migration team, eight whooping cranes have now crossed over into Alabama, temporarily residing in Winston County. The aircraft-guided flock of endangered whooping cranes had been delayed in Hardin County, Tennesse due to stormy weather, which included freezing rain, for nearly two weeks. They are also expected to travel through Walker, Chilton and Lowndes counties in Alabama, then Clay and Decatur counties in Georgia, before settling along Florida’s Gulf Coast at their wintering habitat at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge.

This journey began in Wisconsin, winding through the states of Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee.  And although they map out a schedule, weather plays a pivotal role in whether they’re able to adhere to it. And as they’ve already witnessed, it can create delays.

Each morning, team members provide daily updates on their journey on the webite www.operationmigration.org. The section is entitiled “In the Field.” The journal entry dated Dec. 12, which describes their trip to Alabama, reads: “Richard van Heuvelen is our lead pilot today and Joe Duff will be flying chase. Today’s flight is just over 60 miles but with a nice tailwind, who knows?”

The public can follow the whooping cranes on Operation Migration’s live CraneCam, which broadcasts daily during flights and while the cranes are at each stopover. CraneCam can be found at www.ustream.tv/migratingcranes or www.operationmigration.org/InTheField. This is the 13th group of birds to take part in this project led by Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), an international coalition that’s reintroducing this highly imperiled species into eastern North America. Operation Migration is one of many partners with WCEP in this effort. Support also comes from grants, public donations and various corporate sponsors, including Alabama Power.