Whoopers

[RR]

I saw 5 Whooping Cranes today flying on the north side of # 7 highway between Kindersly and Rosetown.They would have been less than 50 yards away.This makes close to 20 sightings I have made of them over the years and never once had a camera with me.
The worst one was the time we saw a skunk run into a culvert.My buddy jumped out of the truck,grabbed the shotgun and a shell Ran and fired one into the culvert to kill the skunk.After he shot I heard some loud honks from behind us and 4 Whoopers lifted off out of the field.

Rich

 

[gunstock]

Whoopers in Ontario

In 2004 my wife called me into the backyard. We saw 3 Whoopers flying over Port Elgin on the Lake Huron Coast in Sothern Ontario.
This was the first Whooper sighting in Ontario in over 100 years.
They were three hatched and released in 2003 and guided to Florida by ultralight aircraft. This is a breeding program to establish an Eastern group of Whoopers that winter in Florida and summer in Wisconsin. The reason being is that if disease got into the Western flock of 350 birds they could become extinct. Currently there are just over 100.
They are a beautiful bird and a real treat to see. Lets hope they continue to increase in numbers. Maybe our Great Grandchildren will be able to take them for granted.

 

[rustysdream]

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