Un-catchable Cranes!

The Crane Project staff had a bit of an interesting experience on monday.  There had been plans this week to catch a few of the 2011 and 2010 birds and fit them with properly functioning satellite and radio tags.  It was assumed that a costumed rearer would be able to walk rigt up to the cranes, as was happening in August and September.  The cranes, however, had different ideas.  The first atttempt to get close ended up with them taking flight, with most of the birds circling low, evidently quite curious to see Dad after so long, but shortly flew a few miles away.  During the second attempt to get up close and personal with the cranes, they once again took flight, were very vocal and circled low a number of times, before flying off and climbing to over 500 feet!  This was their clear way of saying that for the time being they wanted nothing to do with Mum and Dad, a sure sign that they have flown the coop!

The Cranes flying high!

About the author

Amy King and Harry Nevard are the 2011 crane parents and their roles are to rear and nurture the young cranes to adulthood. Amy has previously worked on the cranes in 2010 and Harry has worked with Sarus and Brolgas in Australia and cranes and crakes at Pensthorpe. Prior to Harry's involvement Roland Digby worked on the cranes for the first year of the project.