Friends of Aransas NWR Whooper Updates

Whooping Crane Update April 6, 2017

Fri, 07 Apr 2017 17:31:18 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, April 7, 2017
Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping crane spring migration is in full swing. It has been another tremendous winter season here at Aransas NWR, but the whooping cranes are ready to get back up to Wood Buffalo National Park for another breeding season.

As of yesterday, of 7 birds that have active satellite transmitters, 5 have departed Aransas NWR. Quivira NWR (Kansas) and surrounding areas seem to be a hotspot for stopovers this fall, with a group of 14 whooping cranes reported last week and a group of 8 reported this week as well as sightings of smaller groups. There have also been a number of whooping cranes reported in the Platte River in Nebraska and a number that have already made it to the Dakotas. Here in Texas, 2 marked whoopers were spotted on Ft. Hood Army Base this past week. The number of whooping cranes at Aransas will quickly dwindle over the next couple weeks. Spring migration is typically shorter in duration than fall migration, usually only taking about 30 days.

As soon as results from the Annual Whooping Crane Winter Abundance Survey are complete, we will post a summary on the Aransas NWR website .

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge

Cranes have recently been seen from the observation tower on the Refuge, but it’s difficult to say how much longer they will remain. But there are many other interesting wildlife species to view at the Refuge now, including many spring migrating songbirds, so don’t hesitate to come out and enjoy other spring wildlife watching opportunities.

Texas Whooper Watch

Please report any whooping cranes you observe in migration in Texas to Texas Whooper Watch . We’ve had a number of people making use of the new Texas Whooper Watch I-Naturalist phone app as well, which is encouraging. The old saying “a photo is worth a thousand words” applies to reporting whooping cranes as well. Just be careful not to disturb or get too close the birds!

Habitat Management on the Refuge

Refuge staff burned 4 Units this winter, totaling 4,871 acres. This year's winter season was challenging given that our cold weather windows with consistent north winds were limited and the latter part of the winter brought significant rains.

Precipitation/Salinity

The Refuge received 6.16” of rain from January-March 2017. Freshwater levels and food resources remained high throughout most of this winter season. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay stayed in the low teens (ppt) most of the winter, but recent rains in the middle portion of the Guadalupe river watershed have dropped salinities significantly this last week. Let’s hope we stay in a wet cycle for a bit longer.

Whooping Crane Update, December 15, 2016

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 23:31:39 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, December 15, 2016

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

We completed our annual whooping crane abundance survey this week, flying nearly six surveys. Unfortunately, we were plagued with poor flying conditions throughout the survey period. Of the nine days we had pilots and planes available, only five days (Dec. 9, 10, 11, 13, 14) offered safe enough conditions to fly. Of those five days, only two days (Dec. 9 and 13) had good flying weather most of the day, allowing for complete surveys. Fog, rain, low ceilings and high winds all contributed to poor flying conditions. Fortunately, we had two pilots and planes from our Migratory Birds program and four observers available, allowing us to fly more than one survey a day.

Once again, Terry Liddick, pilot/biologist from our Migratory Birds program, served as a pilot, flying a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cessna 206. This year Phil Thorpe also served as a pilot, flying a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wheeled Kodiak. Observers were Wade Harrell, Jena Moon (Refuges Inventory and Monitoring biologist), Doug Head (Refuges Inventory and Monitoring biologist) and Stephen LeJeune (Chenier Plains Refuge Complex Fire Program). Doug Head (Refuge Inventory and Management biologist) served as survey coordinator.

Data management and analysis once the actual survey is complete is a significant effort conducted by multiple staff members, so we won’t have the final results to present for a few months. But, I will share some general post-survey observations:

We observed whooping cranes using four units of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Blackjack, Matagorda, Tatton and Lamar) and 3 Texas coastal counties (Aransas, Calhoun and Matagorda).

Overall, habitat appeared to be in good condition with adequate freshwater resources. Northern portions of the primary survey area (Welder Flats, Matagorda Island Central) appeared to have much more standing freshwater than southern portions of the primary survey area (Blackjack, Lamar-Tatton), presumably due to higher rainfall totals over the last couple months. Coastal marshes had higher than normal water levels due to high tides in the early part of the survey; however tides fell to normal levels this week.

We observed significant amounts of water hyacinth, an invasive freshwater plant, floating in San Antonio Bay, presumably having been flushed out of the Guadalupe River after the last flood event in November. Rainfall in November and December has provided positive freshwater inflows into local estuaries.

This year we did not have as many large group sizes (>8) of whooping cranes in our primary survey blocks, so it is possible that many of the subadult groups we observed in the past few years have successfully paired.

We observed at least one family group that included two juveniles (i.e. commonly referred to as "twins").

Due to poor flying conditions, most of our secondary areas did not get surveyed, but we did have one survey over the Mad Island and Matagorda Peninsula secondary areas. The Mad Island secondary survey area had one family group and two additional adult whooping cranes detected.

 A family group of whooping cranes was reported in a rice field near Garwood, TX on December 8th. This area has had whooping crane use the last several years and is well outside (north) of our survey area.

While coastal salt marsh was the most common habitat type that we observed whooping cranes using during the survey, we observed whooping cranes using a wide variety of other habitat types as well, including freshwater wetlands, upland prairies and shrublands, agricultural fields and open-water bay edges.

There are several opportunities for visitors to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge to view whooping cranes in publically accessible areas this winter. Whooping cranes have been consistently sighted from the Heron Flats viewing deck, the observation tower and the tour loop near Mustang Slough. We consistently observed a family group of whooping crane in the Mustang Lake salt marsh in front of the observation tower, so you have an excellent opportunity to view whooping crane behavior with a juvenile in tow in their natural habitat.

I want to note that the annual whooping crane abundance survey is a collective effort, with the pilot and observers in the plane only serving one small role within the overall survey. I want to personally thank Joe Saenz, Aransas NWR project leader, for serving as overall manager of the effort; Doug Head, Refuge Inventory & Monitoring biologist as survey coordinator; Josie Farias, administrative staff at Aransas NWR, for assisting with logistics and dispatch; and Grant Harris and Matthew Butler from our Refuge Regional Office Inventory & Monitoring Team for survey protocol development and data analysis.

We will be flying some additional surveys in February in order to complete our survey of secondary areas and train new observers.

Habitat Management on Aransas NWR:

No prescribed burns have taken place yet this winter; however, we are planning for prescribed burns on the Blackjack Unit, Tatton Unit and Matagorda Unit of Aransas NWR this winter.

Recent Precipitation/Salinity around Aransas NWR:

November precipitation: 2.57" @ Aransas HQ

December precipitation (as of 12/15): 2.62" @ Aransas HQ

Salinity at GBRA 1: averaging around 13 parts per thousand

Whooping Crane Update November 7, 2016

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 21:49:53 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update: November 7, 2016

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

The first fall whooping crane arrivals on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) were reported earlier this week on Wednesday, November 2nd by Kevin Sims. He reported seeing 3 pairs on the Blackjack Peninsula. Two adults were also seen from the Aransas NWR Observation Tower on November 6th. I expect that we will have quite a few more arrivals after the next few frontal passages.

As of November 2nd, all 9 whooping cranes with active GPS transmitters were still in Saskatchewan. Other migration reports from the rest of the Central flyway have started trickling in, with reports from all the states from North Dakota to Texas. Whooping cranes are currently spread out across their range, all the way from their northern breeding grounds to their southern wintering grounds. Another mild fall in the northern plains states appears to be contributing to a delayed migration, seemingly a bit behind even last year’s fall migration.

There have been a few whooping cranes reported from traditional stopover sites in the US such as Quivira NWR in central Kansas and Salt Plains NWR in northern Oklahoma. For those of you that use Facebook, both of these refuges have pages where they report whooping crane sightings.

Texas Whooper Watch

Texas Whooper Watch is up and running and has done a great job in getting the word out on whooping migration to the public this year. Take some time to check out their website.

Texas Whooper Watch also has a project in I-Naturalist that is now fully functional. You can find it here. You can report sightings directly in I-Naturalist via your Smart Phone. This allows you to easily provide photo verification and your location. If you are not a smart phone app user, you can still report via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone: (512) 389-TXWW (8999). Please note that our primary interest is in reports from outside the core wintering range. If you have questions on where that is, please refer to our primary survey frame map that can be viewed in last winter’s abundance estimate summary here.

Food & Water Abundance:

Whooping cranes experienced above average water levels and excellent breeding habitat conditions in Wood Buffalo National Park this past summer. Similarly, this past summer in Texas was above average in regards to rainfall, but October has turned hot and dry. This is starting to negatively impact freshwater wetlands at Aransas NWR. We are hoping for some additional precipitation this month.

Precipitation/Salinity:

The Refuge received 7.9 inches of rain from July to October 2016 (Matagorda Island RAWS), about 3 inches less than that same time period last year, with 5.7 inches of this season’s rain occurring in August. Freshwater wetlands on the Refuge are starting to recede. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 18 parts per thousand and rising.

Whooping Crane Update September 16, 2016

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 19:14:36 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update
Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Fall migration will soon begin and whooping cranes will start moving south out of their breeding grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park (WBNP). It was a good breeding year in WBNP. Above average water conditions contributed to an estimated 45 fledged whooping cranes that will soon be headed to Texas on their first migration. We usually expect to see the first whooping cranes arrive at Aransas NWR in early October. The whooping crane migration from Wood Buffalo to Aransas is about 2,500 miles in length and can take up to 50 days to complete.

Last fall, I outlined some of the places that whooping cranes stop to rest in migration. This fall, let’s take some time to look at some of the preliminary results from the whooping crane tracking study in regards to when, where and how whooping cranes perish. For years, scientists have thought that migration was the most dangerous time for a whooping crane, and hence the time period in which they were most likely to die. Our recent telemetry study is providing new information in this vein and is again reminding us that there is still much to learn in regards to whooping crane biology. Most of us don’t like to talk about death, but for a wildlife biologist, understanding more about mortality can help us improve management for whooping cranes and ultimately recover the species.

Tracking study and mortality:
From 2009-2014, a study led by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center marked 68 individual whooping cranes with GPS transmitting devices. This equates to about 20% of the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population being marked. About half of the marked birds were marked as 1st year fledglings at Wood Buffalo and the rest as adults here on the wintering grounds. The information collected from these marked birds, consisting of 3-5 locations a day, 365 days a year, provides us an enormous data set that we are now starting to sort through. Once signals from the GPS transmitters indicate that a bird has quit moving, it is often a sign that the bird has died. We try our best to collect every carcass as quickly as possible once we have reason to believe the bird has likely perished. This is not as easy as it sounds, however, since GPS tracking technology still has a few glitches and these birds are often using remote and inaccessible habitat. Additionally, carcasses tend to degrade very quickly in the natural environment. Regardless, all collected carcasses are sent to the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) for necropsy and disease testing. The lab then provides us a report indicating likely causes of the bird’s demise.

Of the 68 whooping cranes we marked in the tracking study, we recovered the remains of 17 birds over a 4 year period (June 2011-March 2015). Here is a summary of what we have found so far:

When?

1) Whooping cranes are most susceptible to dying at a young age. Only 3 of the 17 birds we recovered were classified as adults (> 2 years old). Keep in mind that whooping cranes are long-lived birds (<30 yrs).

2) Mortalities occurred across all seasons and times of year. When we discuss whooping crane management, we often divide up a year into four distinct time periods (summering, fall migration, wintering and spring migration). Whooping cranes spend about 5 months of the year at summering locations (WBNP) and another 5 months at wintering locations (on and around Aransas NWR). The other 2 months of the year they are migrating between summering and wintering locations.

More than 85% of the marked crane deaths occurred in summering and wintering time periods, with mortalities roughly equal between each time period. Thus, less than 15% of marked crane deaths occurred during migration. So, cranes deaths are evenly distributed across the year. Previously we thought that migration was a particularly risky time for cranes, given the potential hazards they face in their long journey. But the tracking study doesn’t indicate that this is the case. Keep in mind that the tracking study was conducted during a drought period here on the wintering grounds, and we know from past research that winter mortality is higher during droughts. Past research likely underestimated mortalities that occur in summering areas due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of WBNP.

Where?

3) Mortalities occurred in places you would expect, with all of the summering mortalities occurring in Wood Buffalo National Park less than 20 miles from the primary nesting areas. Wintering mortalities occurred throughout our primary wintering range (5 on Aransas NWR and 2 on private lands). Birds died in South Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska (suspected, no carcass) during migration.

How?

4) Of the 17 recovered carcasses, the NWHC reports could only determine cause of death for 4 birds because most of the carcasses were too decomposed and deteriorated. Of the 4 known causes of mortality, two were from predation, one from a bacterial infection and one from an injury. While past research has noted a number of mortalities from power line collisions, this was not a cause of death in any of the marked birds. Perhaps our work to decrease this impact over the years with partners such as the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee has made a difference!

I’ve kept this summary short and left out a number of details, but the information I have included here is from a book that will be coming out next year if you are interested in learning more. Here is the citation:

Pearse, A. T., D. A. Brandt, M. Bidwell, and B. Hartup. In Press. Mortality in Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping cranes: timing, location, and causes. The Biology and Conservation of the Whooping Crane (Grus americana), French, Converse, and Austin, editors. Academic Press.

For those that have an interest in the science of whooping cranes, keep your eyes out for future publications from the U.S. Geological Survey and other partners involved with the whooping crane Tracking Partnership. Additionally, we still have the Texas Parks & Wildlife video on this study posted on our website here.

When the whooping crane population started to crash in the early 1900’s, many whooping cranes were being killed by humans throughout their range. The picture of whooping crane mortality was much bleaker then than it is now. This ultimately led to the species being listed as endangered and extensive conservation efforts began taking place. We’ve made significant strides in recovering the species over the last 100 years, but we have a long way to go. Many of you have heard about the continued whooping crane poaching issues, particularly in our reintroduced populations. A recent article in Texas Monthly discusses a poaching case in Southeast Texas and our efforts to reestablish whooping cranes in Louisiana.

Waterfowl Hunter Outreach Efforts:
Given ongoing poaching issues, we are working closely with many of our partners to increase education and outreach efforts within the waterfowl hunting community. Day in and day out, hunters are our eyes and ears on the ground during the wintering season and they can be a tremendous help to the overall whooping crane recovery effort. Waterfowl hunters have supported wildlife and wetland conservation for years through their purchase of the federal “duck stamp” and are often the first to report problems occurring in wildlife habitat. We will be out in the wintering grounds during the next several months providing information to hunters on whooping crane identification and conservation. Additionally, our Law Enforcement Special Agents will be working during waterfowl season around Aransas NWR to educate hunters about the importance of whooping cranes.

Texas Whooper Watch
Be sure to report any Texas migration sightings via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone: (512) 389-TXWWW (8999)

Current conditions at Aransas NWR:

Oversummering Whoopers:
As we previously reported and was noted in a recent Victoria Advocate article, we had a few (3-4) whooping cranes that decided to stick around for the summer rather than make the long migration back to WBNP. While we don’t know for sure why this happens, we do know that it has happened in the past and is likely to happen in the future. We suspect that the birds that stayed were non-breeders, thus their hormonal triggers to migrate back to breeding and nesting areas in the spring may have been lacking. When this has happened in the past, birds may have been recovering from some sort of injury or illness. But the whooping cranes that stayed this past summer appear to be in fine health.

Food & Water Abundance:
Once again, whooping cranes will be arriving to lush conditions here in Texas. It appears to be another banner fall here on the Texas coast, with abundant food resources and wetlands full of fresh water. Our fire management staff has been busy using prescribed fire this summer to improve habitat conditions for whooping cranes and other wildlife, with around 3,800 acres on the Refuge burned so far in August and September.

Precipitation/Salinity:
The Refuge has received 6.8” of rain from July-mid September 2016, and the current forecast predicts that we will see more rain the latter part of this month and next. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently <10 ppt. and have remained low throughout most of the summer.

Whooping Crane Survey Results 2015-2016

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 14:12:48 GMT

Whooping Crane Survey Results: Winter 2015–2016

329 Wild Whooping Cranes Estimated

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed aerial surveys of the primary survey area centered on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge to estimate the abundance of whooping cranes in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population. Preliminary analyses of the survey data indicated 329 whooping cranes (95% CI = 293–371; CV = 0.073) inhabited the primary survey area (Figure 1). This estimate included 38 juveniles (95% CI = 33–43; CV = 0.078) and 122 adult pairs (95% CI = 108–137; CV = 0.071). Recruitment of juveniles into the winter flock was 13 chicks (95% CI = 12–14; CV = 0.036) per 100 adults, which is comparable to long-term average recruitment. The precision of this year’s estimate achieved the target set in the whooping crane inventory and monitoring protocol (i.e., CV < 0.10).

Read the full report: WHCR Update Winter 2015-2016.pdf

Wintering Whooping Crane Update March 29, 2016

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 18:36:24 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, March 29, 2016

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping crane spring migration has begun. It has been a tremendous winter season here at Aransas NWR, but the whooping cranes seem to be ready to get back up to Wood Buffalo National Park for another breeding season.

As of this morning, of 11 birds that have active satellite transmitters, 4 have departed Aransas NWR. The 4 marked cranes are spread out from Central Texas to South Dakota. Reports received over the last few weeks from states in the migration corridor indicate 31 whooping cranes have been spotted in migration from Kansas to South Dakota. The number of whooping cranes at Aransas will quickly dwindle over the next few weeks. Spring migration is typically shorter in duration than fall migration, usually taking about 30 days.

We have posted the 2014-2015 Whooping Crane Recovery Report on our website. As soon as results from the Annual Whooping Crane Winter Abundance Survey are complete, we will post a summary on the Aransas NWR website as well.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge

Cranes were recently seen from the observation tower on the Refuge, but it’s difficult to say how much longer they will remain. There are many other interesting wildlife species to view at the Refuge now, though, so don’t hesitate to come out and enjoy other spring wildlife watching opportunities! Our Rail Trail bridge has recently been rebuilt, and it’s been a great spot to see young alligators, bullfrogs, and colorful fish.

Texas Whooper Watch

Please report any whooping cranes you observe migrating in Texas to Texas Whooper Watch. The old saying “a photo is worth a thousand words” applies to reporting whooping cranes as well. Just be careful not to disturb or get too close the birds!

While we didn’t have nearly as many whooping cranes use inland sites this winter, Texas Whooper Watch still provided us vital information during migration. Please continue to keep watch for whooping cranes and send in your reports.

Habitat management on the Refuge

Refuge staff burned 8 units this winter, totaling 5,822 acres. This year's season was difficult in terms of meeting objectives due to smoke management and weather windows. The season started off very wet from the effects of the above average rainfall in calendar year 2015 and the anticipation of a predicted wet winter from El Nino conditions. The wet conditions persisted into early January and then rapidly changed. The predicted El Nino event never materialized for January/February and many dry fronts came through South Texas resulting in conditions outside of prescription with relative humidities in the teens.

Units burned in January and February continue to exhibit excellent wildlife response. Crane units 6 and 7, along with the burns on the south end of Matagorda Island, showed prolonged whooping crane use with over 40 individuals counted on single burn units at times.

Precipitation/Salinity:

The Refuge received 5.53 inches of rain from January-March 28. Freshwater levels and food resources remained high throughout this winter season. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 10-12 parts per thousand.

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, December 22, 2015

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 22:21:04 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

We successfully completed our annual whooping crane abundance survey last week. We flew 6 surveys, beginning on Monday, December 7 and ending this past Thursday, December 17, 2015. We did have several weather-related delays such as lingering fog, so we feel extremely fortunate that we were able to complete the 6 survey flights that our whooping crane abundance survey protocol requires. Once again, Terry Liddick, pilot/biologist from our migratory birds program, served as pilot, flying a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Cessna 206. Observers were Wade Harrell and Beau Hardegree (Coastal Program Biologist, Corpus Christi FWS office). Doug Head (Refuge Inventory & Management biologist) served as ground survey coordinator and Diane Iriarte (Refuge biologist) served as data manager.

Data management and analysis once the actual survey is complete is a significant effort conducted by multiple staff members, so we won’t have the final results to present for a few months. However, here are some general post-survey observations:

We consistently observed whooping cranes using 4 units of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Blackjack, Matagorda, Tatton and Lamar) and 3 Texas coastal counties (Aransas, Calhoun and Matagorda).

Read the full report.

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, November 4, 2015

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 23:54:44 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, November 4, 2015

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

We reported earlier in September that the first whooping crane had arrived here on the Texas coast this fall. This single adult bird was spotted by tour boat guides on 19 September on San Jose Island. Just this past week, we have received several reports of whooping cranes still on the staging grounds in the Saskatchewan prairies of Canada, and a radio marked family group is still in Wood Buffalo National Park. As of today, only 1 of 13 whooping cranes with active radio transmitters has arrived here on the Texas coast. So, whooping cranes are currently spread out across their range, all the way from their northern breeding grounds to their southern wintering grounds. The mild fall in the northern plains states appears to be contributing to a delayed migration, our partners at the Northern Prairie Research Center in North Dakota estimate that migration of cranes and waterfowl is about 2 weeks behind schedule.

We received a report of a single adult whooping crane observed at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge up the coast from Aransas, this past week. Brazoria NWR has excellent coastal marsh habitat and has had a few other whooping cranes visit in the past few winters. Refuges on the mid and upper Texas coast provide important habitat for a growing whooping crane population.

There have been a number of whooping cranes reported from traditional stopover sites in the US, such as Quivira NWR in central Kansas and Salt Plains NWR in northern Oklahoma. For those of you that follow Facebook, both of these Refuges have pages where they report whooping crane sightings.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge

On 26 October, our Refuge Law Enforcement Officer reported the first whooping cranes of the season on the Refuge, a pair observed on the Blackjack Unit. Whooping crane tour boats and Refuge staff have reported only a handful of whooping cranes along the marshes of the Blackjack Peninsula, including 9 whooping cranes reported yesterday. I have not received reports of whooping cranes from the observation tower at the Refuge yet, but it shouldn’t be long before visitors can expect to be able to view whooping cranes there. I expect that we will have quite a few more arrivals after the next few frontal passages.

Texas Whooper Watch

Texas Whooper Watch is up and running and has done a great job in getting the word out on whooping crane migration to the public this year. Take some time to check out their website here.

Be sure to report any Texas sightings beyond the known Aransas/Lamar are via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone: (512) 389-TXWW (8999).

Food & Water Abundance:

While whooping cranes experienced dry conditions on the breeding grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park this past summer, they will be arriving to lush conditions here in Texas. It appears to be a banner fall here on the Texas coast, with seemingly record blue crab numbers and wetlands brimming to the top with fresh water.

Precipitation/Salinity:

The Refuge received 11.10” of rain from July-October 2015, similar to that same time period last year although over 8” (75%) of the rainfall total occurred in September & October. Nearly all freshwater wetlands on the Refuge are full and native grasses and other vegetation is as dense as we’ve seen it in years. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 20 ppt. We do expect to see a dip in salinities in the next few days as water from recent flooding in the Guadalupe River watershed reaches the bay.

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, February 22, 2015

Fri, 27 Feb 2015 13:24:55 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

It continues to look like a banner year in terms of habitat conditions, with the Refuge having a greater amount of freshwater on the landscape than we have seen in several years. Fall and winter rains are slowly moving us in the right direction. Whooping Cranes have responded to these conditions by spending more time in the coastal marsh, foraging on the relatively abundant blue crabs and other food resources. While we have still seen some Whooping Crane use of inland habitats this year, that trend is definitely down from the peak of the drought 2 seasons ago.

Visitors to the Refuge and those observing Whooping Cranes from boat tours have been in a good position this year to observe use of the traditional coastal marsh habitat. We’ve had some outstanding weather lately, and I encourage everyone to come out and visit us before the Whooping Cranes start heading back North in late March. Many of you will be happy to know that we have reinitiated our Refuge bus tours for February and March. Tours are first-come, first-served, and visitors must register in the visitor center the day of the tour. The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Friday, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Information on Whooping Crane Death Being Sought

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Texas Parks & Wildlife are seeking information about the death of a Whooping Crane. The carcass of the bird was found on January 4. For more information, please see the press
release.

Training Surveys & GoPro Video

We were able to fly some training surveys on January 5-6 with our new Refuge Biologist Keith Westlake and Ecological Services biologist Frank Weaver. We are still working through the best way to utilize GoPro Camera technology in our survey efforts, but have some clips of how things look 200 feet above the marsh. We’ll be uploading the survey clips on our Facebook page, so check it out in the coming week.

GPS tracking study & other Whooping Crane observations

While we have not done any additional marking of Whooping Cranes this winter, we are still consistently tracking 20 GPS marked Whooping Cranes for this study. They also have bi-color bands on the leg opposite of the leg with the transmitter. If you happen to see a marked bird, please report it to us with as much information as you can (i.e. Red/Black left leg, GPS right leg, location, other birds in the same area, etc.)

Whooping Cranes outside the traditional wintering area that have been reported to Texas Whooper Watch include a single adult bird associated with a group of Sandhill Cranes in Eastern Williamson County, a pair of adult Whoopers near the town of Refugio, and a pair of adults with 2 juveniles in Northwest Matagorda County,

Habitat Management on Aransas NWR:

The Refuge successfully conducted 3 burns this winter, 2 on the Blackjack Peninsula along East Shore Road (primary Whooping Crane habitat) and one on Matagorda Island. Total acreage burned was more than 12,000 acres.

Recent Precipitation/Salinity around Aransas NWR:

December precipitation: 2.95” @ Aransas HQ

January precipitation: 2.85” @ Aransas HQ

February precipitation (as of Feb. 22): 0.93” @ Aransas HQ

Salinity at GBRA 1: averaging around 24 ppt

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, December 17, 2014

Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:54:27 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

We successfully completed our annual whooping crane abundance survey last week, flying surveys on a record six consecutive days, beginning on Monday, December 8 and ending this past Saturday, December 13, 2014. Rarely do we get that many consecutive days of suitable weather for surveys, so we feel extremely fortunate that we were able to complete the 6 survey flights that our whooping crane abundance survey protocol requires. Once again, Terry Liddick, pilot/biologist from our migratory birds program, served as pilot, flying a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Cessna 206. Observers were Wade Harrell, Beau Beau Hardegree (Coastal Program biologist, Corpus Christi FWS office) and Diana Iriarte (Aransas NWR biologist).

· Data management and analysis once the actual survey is complete is a significant effort conducted by multiple staff members, so we won’t have the final results to present for a few months. But, I will share some general post-survey observations:

· We consistently observed whooping cranes using every unit of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Blackjack, Matagorda, Tatton, Lamar and Myrtle-Foester Whitmire).

· We observed larger than average group sizes (>8) of whooping cranes in several of our primary survey blocks, with these groups consistently observed in the Blackjack and Welder Flats primary survey blocks. These large groups often contained more than 1 family group.

· We consistently observed 3 family groups that included 2 juveniles (i.e. commonly referred to as “twins”).

· One pair of whooping cranes was consistently detected from each of 3 of our secondary survey areas (Holiday Beach, Powderhorn Lake (Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit) and Matagorda Island North)

· We detected whooping crane pairs both further south on San Jose Island (southern portion of primary survey area) and Matagorda Island (northern portion of primary survey area) than in the past few years.

· While coastal salt marsh was the most common habitat type that we observed whooping cranes using during the survey, we observed whooping cranes using a wide variety of other habitat types as well including freshwater wetlands, upland prairies and shrublands and open-water bay edges.

· Overall, habitat appeared to be in better condition than the past few years. We observed a significant amount of freshwater and green, lush vegetation in upland areas.

Several of the observations noted from last week’s survey point to an expanding whooping crane population that is exhibiting a wider range of behaviors than we have observed in the past. This “change” is to be expected as larger populations tend to have greater genetic and behavioral variability than smaller populations do. This wider range of behavior is a positive step in the long road to recovery for this endangered species, as larger populations with more behavioral and genetic variation tend to be more resilient to environmental changes than small populations. While the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population is still relatively small (about 300), it has roughly tripled in size over the last 30 years.

This year we were also able to capture some survey video footage with GoPro cameras mounted to the outside of the plane. These are wide-angle cameras that we are hoping will help us continually improve our survey methods as well as have some video of annual changes in habitat. Over the next few weeks, we will be sorting through some of the survey video and will work to share some clips in future updates.

I want to note that the annual whooping crane abundance survey is a collective effort, with the pilot and observers in the plane only serving one small role within the overall survey. I want to personally thank Greg Birkenfeld, acting Aransas NWR project leader, for serving as overall manager of the effort, Diana Iriarte, Aransas NWR biologist, for serving as our go-to data collection technology and data management specialist, Susie Perez and Josie Farias, administrative staff at Aransas NWR, for assisting with logistics and Grant Harris and Matthew Butler from our Refuge Regional Office Inventory & Monitoring Team for survey protocol development and data analysis.

We will be flying some additional training surveys in early January in order to get 2-3 new observers up to speed and ready to start collecting data for next year’s survey.

Habitat Management on Aransas NWR:

Unfortunately, weather conditions haven’t allowed us to conduct any planned prescribed burns on the Refuge yet, but our fire crew continues to look for the right weather window. We have plans in place to implement prescribed burns on both the Blackjack Unit and Matagorda Unit of Aransas NWR this winter.

Recent Precipitation/Salinity around Aransas NWR:

November precipitation: 4.38” @ Aransas HQ

December precipitation (as of 12/16): 0.68” @ Aransas HQ

Salinity at GBRA 1: averaging around 28 pp

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, November 21, 2014

Sun, 23 Nov 2014 18:57:18 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

What a difference a couple weeks make! On our last update we noted a somewhat delayed migration with only a handful of whooping cranes having made their way to the Texas Coast. Now, it appears that the vast majority of the population has made their way to Texas. Most of the 25 marked whooping cranes we are tracking via GPS leg bands arrived on the wintering grounds by Nov. 14. We have recent reports and observations from all of the traditional wintering areas on and off the Refuge such as the Welder Flats area and San Jose & Matagorda Islands.

Undoubtedly, the unseasonably cool weather that much of the central plains states have experienced over the last couple weeks contributed to the movement of whooping cranes and other waterfowl to southern wintering areas. We plan to start our annual aerial whooping crane abundance survey on December 3. This coincides with the historical peak abundance of whooping cranes on the wintering grounds.

Additionally, we are already receiving reports of whooping cranes using coastal areas that lie beyond the core “traditional” wintering areas, indicative of an expanding population seeking out new habitat and resources. A few of these expansion areas that cranes have been noted this past week include the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit of Aransas NWR near Indianola, TX (pair) and at The Nature Conservancy managed Mad Island Marsh Preserve near Collegeport, TX (4 adults). It is noteworthy that the whooping crane use of the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit is directly across Powderhorn Lake from the recent Powderhorn Ranch conservation acquisition, highlighting the importance of acquiring and protecting habitat for the expanding whooping crane population.

We also received a photograph of a single whooper using a freshwater wetland at Padre Island National Seashore on November 18. While occasional whooping crane use at Padre Island has been documented in the historical record, it has been several years since an observation has been noted there.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge

Whooping Cranes are now being regularly observed from both the Heron Flats observation deck and the Refuge observation tower, so bring your binoculars and come on out to get a first-hand look at North America’s tallest birds along with a wide variety of other wildlife species!.

New Facebook Page for Aransas National Wildlife Refuge!

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge now has an official Facebook page! We’ll be posting updates about whooping cranes and other wildlife observations, management activities, and refuge happenings. “Like” us for timely information!

Texas Whooper Watch

Texas Whooper Watch has done a great job in getting the word out on whooping crane migration to the public this year. Take some time to check out their website.

The public provided several reports of whooping crane migration this season, including a great photo of 8 adult whooping cranes migrating south through Milam County on November 9th. We owe a big thanks to Katherine Bedrich for the report and photo! This type of information helps confirm migration routes, timing and behavior so we better understand what whooping cranes need to continue increasing their numbers.

Be sure to report any Texas sightings beyond the known Aransas/Lamar area via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone: (512) 389-TXWW (8999).

Food & Water Abundance

The photo below taken by a Refuge remote trail camera shows a pair of whooping cranes departing from a recently rehabilitated well site (converted from windmill to solar pump) that provides freshwater to cranes and other wildlife species on the Blackjack Unit of Aransas NWR:For more information on the Refuge’s “Water for Wildlife” initiative, see our last whooping crane update.

Precipitation/Salinity

As we have stated before, weather conditions play a significant role in whooping crane behavior, including migration timing and habitat selection. Weather conditions may also change our Refuge management strategies for whooping cranes, such as providing freshwater from wells during times of drought. If you enjoy tracking local weather conditions, you might check out the South Texas Weather Journal provided by our partners at the National Weather Service. This edition discusses several local weather patterns that have the potential to impact whooping cranes here on the wintering grounds including timing of hurricanes, drought forecasts and tidal changes in local bays.

Wintering Whooping Crane Update

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 13:48:31 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

While we reported back in September that we had a few earlier than expected whooping crane arrivals, it now seems that fall migration is shaping up to be a bit delayed this year. We have received several reports of whooping cranes still on the staging grounds in the Saskatchewan prairies this past week. There have been a few birds reported from traditional stopover sites in the US, such as Quivira NWR in central Kansas and Salt Plains NWR in northern Oklahoma. Presumably the mild fall in the northern plains states is contributing to a somewhat delayed migration. Other waterfowl species (ducks & geese) appear to be following a similar pattern.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge

Whooping crane tour boats and Refuge staff have reported only a handful of whooping cranes along the marshes of the Blackjack Peninsula. We have had a couple reports of a pair of whooping cranes observed from the Heron Flats platform, although they aren’t there on a consistent basis. I have not received reports of whooping cranes from the observation tower at the Refuge yet, but it shouldn’t be long before visitors can expect to be able to view whooping cranes there. Only 2 of 25 currently active GPS marked whooping cranes have made their way to the Texas coast and have been moving around area coastal marshes off-Refuge. I expect that we will have quite a few more arrivals after the next few frontal passages.

Texas Whooper Watch

Texas Whooper Watch is up and running and has done a great job in getting the word out on whooping crane migration to the public this year. Take some time to check out their website.

Be sure to report any Texas sightings beyond the known Aransas/Lamar area via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or phone: (512) 389-TXWWW (8999)

Food & Water Abundance:

Reports by area guides and Refuge staff indicate that blue crabs and other whooping crane food items are a bit more abundant this year than in the past few years. Wolfberries (see photo) seem to be abundant in the marsh this year as well. A big thanks goes out to the Mid-Coast Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists for completing a wolfberry planting in whooping crane habitat on the Refuge a few weeks ago.

With financial and administrative assistance from San Antonio Bay Partnership and other partners, we were able to complete the rehabilitation and conversion to a solar pump of one old windmill site on the Blackjack Peninsula and a new well completion. We have game cameras established on these new watering sites and hope to share some nice wildlife photos in future updates. The Victoria Advocate published a news article about the “Water for Wildlife’ project that can be found here.

Precipitation/Salinity:

The Refuge received 13.42” of rain from July-October 2014, similar to that same time period last year although over 9” (70%) of the rainfall total occurred in September. This week’s rains will help continue to fill area wetlands used by whooping cranes. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 30 ppt. We do expect to see a dip in salinities in the next few days as water from recent rains in the Guadalupe River watershed reaches the bay.

Final 2014 Whooper Update

Fri, 25 Apr 2014 01:21:05 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping crane migration is well underway. We estimate that less than 20% of the population is still on the Texas coast wintering area and that number should quickly dwindle over the next week or so. A significant portion of the population appears to have made it across the border into Canada. Right now we have whooping cranes spread out from the wintering grounds nearly to the breeding grounds in Wood Buffalo National Park. Though the cranes seem to leave in mass, they actually have staggered departures and leave in small groups. This is important as it ensures survival of the species. If they were to all leave together and encountered bad weather or some other catastrophic event, it could put the whole population in jeopardy.

This will be the final Whooping Crane Update for the season. We expect to begin posting Updates once again next season and are considering other ways to quickly disseminate wintering whooping crane information.

The final 2013-14 Annual Whooping Crane Survey will also be made available on this site within the next few months.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge
Cranes that could be seen from Heron Flats and the observation tower on the refuge appear to have departed. But there are many other interesting wildlife species to see so don’t hesitate to come out and enjoy other spring wildlife watching opportunities on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)!

Texas Whooper Watch
We have had a few reports of whooping cranes spotted in migration, including observations from Tarrant and Johnson counties in North Texas. While we didn’t have nearly as many whooping cranes use inland sites this winter, Texas Whooper Watch still provided vital information during both fall and spring migration. Please continue to keep watch for whooping cranes and send in your reports.

Tracking Efforts
As of Sunday, April 21, four of the marked birds that we are actively receiving data on were still on the coast. Of those in migration, 12 were in Saskatchewan, eight in the Dakotas, four in Nebraska, two in Oklahoma and one in Texas. Based on this information and other observations, it is likely that more than 80% of the birds in the Aransas/Wood Buffalo population are currently migrating north.

Documented Mortalities During Winter 2013-2014
This season we documented four whooping crane mortalities on and around Aransas NWR. The first mortality was an injured subadult that we captured and transported to the San Antonio Zoo for treatment.. Unfortunately that bird died 30 days into treatment. We collected an unmarked adult bird at a waterhole on the refuge, and the necropsy identified bobcat predation as the likely cause of death. Two additional marked birds died in February but, because carcasses were not located (only radios), necropsies could not be conducted. Thus cause of death is unknown but predation is suspected.

Texas City 'Y' Oil Spill
For those who have been following the news, you know that we had a significant impact from the Texas City Y oil spill on the Matagorda Island Unit of Aransas NWR and home to a large portion of the wintering whooping crane population -- and a number of other threatened and endangered species. Fortunately for the whooping cranes the oil did not make it through any of the Gulf passes or into the coastal marsh habitat used by whooping cranes. The oil that did hit was on the Gulf-side beach of Matagorda Island below the dunes. While there was no direct impact to whooping cranes as they don’t regularly visit this portion of the island, the Service was concerned that disturbance associated with the clean-up efforts may impact whooping cranes and other wildlife species. We worked closely with the Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and the responsible party to avoid and minimize clean-up disturbance impacts to the refuge’s natural resources to the greatest extent possible. Part of that work involves having numerous Service biologists and other staff members monitor cleanup crews and making sure best management practices are followed. We hope that clean-up activities are completed in the very near future and the Island’s wild inhabitants can continue their normal lives! Learn more about the spill here.

Field Tracking Efforts

Tue, 25 Mar 2014 01:20:07 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Field Tracking Efforts
Thanks to Texas Parks and Wildlife for putting together this excellent video of the whooping crane tracking effort. See it here.

The trapping team completed this field season with 13 marked birds this winter. This is the last season of capture and marking of whooping cranes in Texas. Sixty-eight whooping cranes have been marked with GPS transmitters during the past four years. Currently, 28 of those birds are still being actively tracked.

The study was conducted by a partnership of researchers from multiple organizations using lightweight GPS devices to track individual whooping cranes of the Aransas –Wood Buffalo population.

Efforts focused on putting tracking devices on adult whooping cranes captured on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge NWR, where the birds winter on the Texas coast, and on chicks at Wood Buffalo National Park, the birds’ nesting grounds in Canada.

The GPS units are attached to a bird’s upper leg and record four to five locations every 24 hours, information that is uploaded to a satellite every two and half days. These data reveal migration routes, habitat use, nesting locations, and much more. Biologists in the United States and Canada will use results of this work to identify management and conservation priorities in both countries.

The research partnership is made up of governmental and non-profit partners that include the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, Crane Trust, Parks Canada, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, and International Crane Foundation.

Whooping Cranes outside the primary survey area:
Long-term whooping crane followers likely remember that over the last couple of years many whooping cranes spent much of the winter outside of the primary survey area. This was likely due to a number of factors including overall population expansion and ongoing drought conditions.

This year was different. Biologists detected more whooping cranes in the primary survey area and documented fewer individuals outside the primary survey area. This geographic shift among years may be due to shifts in food resource availability. While it was still a relatively dry year, some timely rains this past summer and early fall may have contributed to greater food resource availability in area coastal marshes. This may indicate that whooping crane behavior is adaptable and individual birds are able to shift their habitat and food use in relation to local environmental conditions. It provides a continued hope that the whooping crane population is resilient in the face of fluctuating environmental conditions such as drought. Wintering in a variety of places across a broader geographic range reduces the risk that a single localized catastrophic event could cause extinction.

Between Texas Whooper Watch and the increasing number of birds marked with satellite transmitters via the tracking study, biologists are in a much better position to document geographic expansion of the wintering grounds. Conservation and restoration of high-quality whooping crane habitat in Texas needs to be emphasized in the future so the growing whooping crane population has places to forage and raise young successfully during the winter season. Protecting and conserving habitat that provides the resources the birds need on a broad, landscape-scale will help the population continue to grow and contend with ever changing conditions.

The tables below provide the best understanding of birds that were outside the primary survey areas during the mid-December survey period. Keep in mind some birds may have been missed. Also, we cannot ever be completely certain that individual birds did not move between these locations and to/from the primary survey area during the survey flights.

These are three different data sources that are used to document birds observed outside of the primary winter area during mid-December.

Table 1: Texas Whooper Watch
Birds documented outside of the survey area in mid-December via Texas Whooper Watch

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
Mad Island Area/Matagorda County	2	1	3	Observed several times in mid-December, including during the annual Christmas Bird Count.
Robertson County	1		1	Observed multiple times throughout December and into early January with sandhill cranes.
Total			4

Table 2: Tracking Study
Birds documented outside of the survey area from Dec. 11th to Dec. 23rd via the tracking study

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
North Matagorda Island (secondary survey area)	1		1	Marked as a chick in Canada in 2011. Detected via aerial secondary survey as well (see Table 3).
Calhoun County	1		1	Moved outside primary survey area on Dec. 14, 2013. Reported as a pair, but unconfirmed. Marked as a chick in Canada 2012.
Total			2

Table 3: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Survey
Birds documented in the whooping cranes’ secondary areas on Dec. 12th & Dec. 17th via aerial survey

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
North Matagorda Island (secondary survey area)	1		1	same individual reported in Table 2

* The data and results presented in this report are preliminary and subject to revision. This information is distributed solely for the purpose of providing the most recent information from aerial surveys. This information does not represent and should not be construed to represent any U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determination or policy.

March Whooper Update

Tue, 18 Mar 2014 01:19:05 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Winter 2013-2014 Whooping Crane Survey Results
304 Wild Whooping Cranes Estimated

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has estimated the number of whooping cranes in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population present in the primary survey area centered on Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Preliminary analyses of the data indicated 304 whooping cranes (95% CI = 260–354; CV = 0.08) inhabited the primary survey area (see map). This estimate includes 39 juveniles (95% CI = 32–47; CV = 0.10) and 116 adult pairs (95% CI = 100–135; CV = 0.08). Recruitment of juveniles into the winter flock was 15 chicks (95% CI = 13–17; CV = 0.07) per 100 adults. The precision of this year’s estimates was improved and achieved the target set in the protocol (i.e., CV < 0.10). Improved precision is due to increased observer experience and refinement of methods.

During winter 2012–2013, 257 whooping cranes (95% CI = 178–362; CV = 0.19) were estimated in the primary survey area and during winter 2011–2012, 254 whooping cranes (95% CI = 198–324; CV = 0.13) were estimated. Examination of the 60-year trend in whooping crane numbers shows an increase with occasional, periodic declines. A continued upward trend in whooping crane numbers over the last three years was observed, and is consistent with the long-term growth trend.

During winter 2013–2014, the primary survey area (approximately 154,000 acres) was surveyed seven times between 11 December and 23 December 2013. During the same period, the secondary survey area (approximately 101,500 acres) was surveyed twice to monitor ongoing expansion of the whooping crane’s winter range.

The data and results presented in this report are preliminary and subject to revision. This information is distributed solely for the purpose of providing the most recent information from aerial surveys. This information does not represent and should not be construed to represent any U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service determination or policy.

December update

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 04:49:16 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping crane migration is nearly complete, with all of the marked birds having arrived in Texas by early this week. The birds appear to be heavily utilizing the coastal marsh right now, which is probably due to abundant food resources.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge
Whooping crane tour boats and Refuge staff have been regularly reporting sightings of 25 or more whooping cranes along the marshes of the Blackjack Peninsula. Visitors should now be able to regularly see whooping cranes from the observation tower at the South end of the tour loop. This week a pair has been seen several times from the observation tower.

Texas Whooper Watch
We had several interesting reports during migration from Texas Whooper Watchers. Perhaps most interesting was a group of 19 whooping cranes spotted and photographed flying over Lake Waco on November 14th by Martin Kemper. Generally, whooping cranes migrate in smaller family groups. Perhaps as the population continues to grow, larger groups in migration will become more common.

A single subadult whooping crane, marked in Canada as a chick the summer of 2012, was spotted with a group of sandhill cranes on and around Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge in mid-November. This bird spent considerable time in Wharton County last winter and has now moved into Matagorda County.

A few other unmarked whooping cranes, including one confirmed family group, have been recently been spotted in Wharton and Matagorda Counties. They are using both agricultural areas and coastal marshes. This is a positive sign that whooping cranes continue to expand their winter range well beyond Aransas National Wildlife Refuge as the population expands.

We have had several inquiries as to whether there has yet been any whooping crane use of Granger Lake this winter. The two marked individuals that used the Granger Lake area last winter have both been around the Aransas Refuge most recently. Other than a quick stopover by one whooping crane in October, we haven’t documented any use of Granger Lake so far this winter.

Tracking Efforts
We are currently tracking 26 marked whooping cranes, and they are all now on the Texas coast. We have one more field season left to complete for the GPS tracking study and plan to mark 10 additional whooping cranes this January at Aransas.

Winter 2013-2014 Whooping Crane Research & Monitoring Initiatives
Our survey pilot is set to arrive on Monday and we plan on resuming our annual whooping crane wintering abundance aerial surveys next week as soon as the weather allows. We will fly a minimum of six surveys the month of December and should have preliminary results later in the winter.

Our new biological technicians have been traversing the state, recording habitat attributes at stopover sites that marked whooping cranes used during fall migration. A few of the counties they have visited include Baylor, Bosque, Childress, Hill and McLennan. They have documented a wide variety of habitat types that whooping cranes have used as stopover sites this fall, giving us new insight into preferred whooping crane habitat. Most of the stopover habitat evaluation for fall migration should be complete in the next few weeks and then the biological technicians will begin focusing on evaluating wintering locations.

Food Abundance
Significant whooping crane use of the coastal marsh thus far this winter indicates that estuarine food sources such as blue crabs are available right now. The Refuge's fire staff plans to burn a unit along the Blackjack Peninsula within the next week or so depending on weather.

Precipitation/Salinity
November was a dry month, with less than 1” of rain received at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 26 ppt.

Whooper Update

Sun, 10 Nov 2013 23:55:19 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping crane migration is well underway, with reports of birds still in Canada and a few arrivals here at Aransas. Overall, it appears migration may be a bit delayed this year. Mark Bidwell, whooping crane coordinator for the Canadian Wildlife Service, reported seeing whooping cranes still at Wood Buffalo National Park the last week in October with some snow already accumulating. Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas, a traditional migration stopover location, reported their first whooping crane arrival on October 24. We had our first confirmed arrival at Aransas on October 16.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge
Whooping crane tour boats and refuge staff have been reporting sightings of up to 25 whooping cranes this past week along the marshes of the Blackjack Peninsula. We expect that we will have quite a few more arrivals as frontal passages become more frequent. No reports have been received of whooping cranes from the observation tower at the refuge yet, but it shouldn’t be long before visitors can expect to see whooping cranes there.

Texas Whooper Watch
Texas Whooper Watch is up and running and has done a great job in getting the word out on whooping migration to the public this year. Take some time to check out their website.

Be sure to report any Texas sightings beyond the known Aransas/Lamar area via email: whoopingcranes@tpwd.state.tx.us or by phone at (512)389-TXWWW(8999).

New Signs at Area Boat Ramps
Thanks to a partnership with Texas Parks & Wildlife, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, local navigation districts, International Crane Foundation, San Antonio Bay Foundation, Whooping Crane Conservation Association, Friends of the Wild Whoopers and Friends of Aransas and Matagorda Island Refuge, whooping crane informational signage has been installed at area boat ramps. This signage is intended to increase public awareness of whooping crane presence in the winter, explains how to identify whooping cranes and most importantly provides information on how to avoid disturbing them. Part of this project also involved directed outreach to local hunting lodges, providing them pamphlets and DVDs to help minimize the potential for accidental shootings. Next time you are out on the water, look for the new whooping crane signs at area boat ramps!

Tracking Efforts
The first marked whooping crane arrived on the Texas coast on October 16, a juvenile that was marked as a chick in Canada the summer of 2012. That bird has mostly been using the Lamar area so far, with a couple of forays onto the refuge. As of November 6, we have eight marked whooping cranes in Texas, with seven of those around the Aransas area. Based on this information and other observations, it is likely that around 1/3 of the Aransas/Wood Buffalo have arrived on the wintering grounds here in Texas. We expect that most of the rest of the population will arrive by early December. We have one more field season left to complete for the GPS tracking study and plan to mark 10 additional whooping cranes this January at Aransas.

Winter 2013-1014 Whooping Crane Research & Monitoring Initiatives
In addition to our annual winter whooping crane population survey, which will begin in early December, we have started two new winter research projects with the help of two refuge interns.

The first project will be evaluating freshwater use by whooping cranes on the refuge. We have 40 remote cameras deployed at freshwater ponds and dugouts on the Blackjack Peninsula and Matagorda Island and will be documenting timing, frequency and distribution of whooping crane use of freshwater sites. This will help us focus our efforts on continuing to enhance freshwater resources for whooping cranes on the refuge.

The second project we will be focused on this winter is evaluating habitat use by migrating and wintering whooping cranes throughout the state of Texas. Our interns will be collecting a wide variety of habitat parameters at sites that whooping cranes have recently used either during migration (i.e. stopover sites) or wintering. This project is an extension of a larger project that is occurring throughout the migration corridor in the U.S. from North Dakota to Texas. Our hope is that more detailed information about whooping crane habitat use will guide future conservation efforts, ensuring that whooping cranes have a place to call home as the population continues to expand.

Food Abundance:
Reports by area guides and refuge staff indicate that blue crabs and other whooping crane food items are a bit more abundant this year than in the past few years. Freshwater ponds on the refuge, while still not at the “normal” level, have at least some water available as compared to last year. We were able to rehabilitate two freshwater wells on Matagorda Island this past summer and have funds to complete several more thanks to financial assistance from several partner organizations. Our fire staff is currently gearing up to provide freshly burned areas throughout the winter for whooping cranes.

Precipitation/Salinity:
The refuge received 14.33” of rain from July-October 2013. While this is near-normal precipitation levels, we still haven’t fully caught up from the ongoing drought. A large rainfall event would help to fill and maintain our freshwater wetlands and freshen up the marshes used by whooping cranes. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently around 28 ppt. We do expect to see a dip in salinities in the next few days as flooding from the San Marcos/Guadalupe Rivers reaches the bay.

See you in October, Whoopers!

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:40:25 GMT

Yes, that's right - they are headed back north! Hopefully fall conditions will be just perfect for them when they return!

Whooper Update

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:50:21 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Since whooping crane migration is well underway and we expect that most birds will depart the coast over the next couple weeks, this will be the final Whooping Crane Update for the season. We expect to begin posting Updates once again in early November. The final 2012-13 Annual Whooping Crane Survey will also be made available on this site within the next few months.

Whooping Cranes on the Refuge:
Birds are still being seen on the refuge, including the pair at the observation tower. All the birds from the Lamar area appear to have left. Based on the tracking data and incidental observations, it appears that the birds using the periphery areas of the winter range (i.e. Lamar, Granger Lake, El Campo, Welder Flats) have been the first to depart this year. Though the birds seem to be leaving in mass, they actually have staggered departures and leave in small groups. This is important as it ensures survival of the species. If they were to all leave together and encountered bad weather or some other catastrophic event, it could put the whole flock in jeopardy.

Texas Whooper Watch:
There have not been any sightings of birds reported through Texas Whooper Watch since the last Update. This is predictable. When headed back to Canada, the whooping cranes are in a hurry to get to their nesting grounds. They must get back in time to establish their territory, lay their eggs and give their chick(s) ample time to mature before they return to the Texas coast.

Tracking Efforts:
As of Monday, April 8, 14 of the marked birds that we are actively receiving data on were still present on the coast and 21 have begun migration. Based on this information and other observations, it is likely that greater than 50% of the birds in the Aransas/Wood Buffalo flock are currently migrating north. Of the 21 marked whooping cranes currently in migration, 14 are as far north as Nebraska and the Dakotas. It appears that late-season snowstorms may be slowing migration into Canada.

Food Abundance:
The refuge has completed the winter prescribed burn program, including 8,770 acres treated. The goal was to burn between 7,000 and 10,000 acres. The birds were documented feeding in the burned areas throughout the refuge this season. The use of prescribed burning as a management tool is particularly important during dry winters, providing extra resources when food items in the marsh may not be as abundant.

Precipitation/Salinity:
The refuge received 0.30 inches last Wednesday (April 3). The last significant rain event was on February 5, with most of February and March being extremely dry. Salinity levels in San Antonio Bay have ranged from 13 to 30 ppt. since our last update. We did have a dip in salinities around the first of the month after the bay and coastal marshes received needed freshwater inflows from a rain event in the upper portions of the Guadalupe/San Antonio watershed. Unfortunately, this freshening of the bay was short-lived and the salinity level in San Antonio Bay is currently 28 ppt, higher than the ideal for available freshwater and marsh food resources.

Taking a look into the past as we consider the future:
The following graphic shows the expansion of wintering whooping cranes on and around the Refuge over the past 55 years (1951-2006). As we have seen this winter, this expansion has now moved to a few inland locations such as the Granger lake area. This trend gives us hope that the species will continue on the upward trend. We look forward to continue learning more about the species so we can assist a multitude of partners in moving conservation efforts forward.

Whooper Update

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:53:43 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

On the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge:

Spring migration has begun. If you want to come out and see some whooping cranes at the refuge, come soon. There is a reasonable chance to see a pair of whoopers at the 40 foot observation tower. While there are still a lot of cranes around the refuge, the numbers will soon start dwindling as the birds head back north.
We were sent pictures of a marked adult whooping crane that has been observed near the Big Tree area of Lamar. We have not been able to track the bird since September due to a broken antenna. Reports are that the whooper generally moves around with another adult whooper and a juvenile sandhill crane. The photo included in this Update is of that bird.

From the Tracking partnership:

March 11: One marked 2 year old adult and one unmarked adult were spotted at Granger Lake. Data from the tracking partnership indicates the 2 year old (this is the bird that came up from Aransas in late January) started migration on the afternoon of March 12 and is currently near the Missouri River, along the Nebraska/South Dakota border.
It appears that the other cranes (8) that spent the winter in the Granger Lake area have begun migration as well. The marked family group from Granger Lake that we reported on last time is now in Central Nebraska, north of the Platte River.
The family group that spent the winter north of El Campo has begun migration and is currently in north-central Nebraska after making a quick stopover in Oklahoma.
As of March 19, none of the marked birds on and around Aransas Refuge have begun migrating.

From Texas whooper watch, USFWS (Nebraska) and other observers:

March 6: Five adult whoopers and one juvenile were sighted at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas on Big Salt Marsh.
March 6-8: One adult whooper was sighted on the Platte River in central Nebraska, at Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary.
March 7-13: One adult whooper was sighted on the Platte River in central Nebraska, downstream of Wood River.
March 13: Four adult whoopers and one juvenile were spotted on the Middle Loup River in Nebraska.
March 14: Two adult whoopers were spotted during an aerial survey in the Rainwater Basin of Nebraska.
March 14: One adult whooper was spotted at Quivira Refuge in Kansas.
March 15: A pair of whooping cranes were seen in the Mad Island Marsh area, Matagorda County.

Precipitation/Salinity:
The refuge has not had any significant rainfall since February 7, when 1.66 inches were recorded. This is the longest dry period we have had this winter and without significant rainfall in the future, the habitat conditions that whooping cranes encounter in Texas next winter will likely be poor. Persistent drought has reduced freshwater availability and maintained high salinity levels within whooping crane habitat on and around the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge this winter. Over the past couple weeks, the salinity levels in San Antonio Bay have ranged between 25 and 30 ppt, well above optimal levels. Unfortunately, much of the southern Great Plains, from north Texas through Nebraska, have also experienced significant drought. Stopover habitat for whooping cranes migrating back to Canada is likely sub-optimal this spring given the current conditions.

Whooper Update

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:52:57 GMT

Wintering Whooping Crane Update, March 7, 2013

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

A Dallas hunter entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced for killing a juvenile whooping crane. After contacting Texas Parks and Wildlife, the hunter told state game wardens he thought the whooping crane was a sandhill crane. Read the full news release here.

Whooping Cranes on the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge:

We have preliminary lab results on the whooping crane carcass that refuge staff recovered on Feb. 7, 2013. Unfortunately, no conclusive cause of death could be determined given the advanced decomposition and scavenging of the carcass. Bacterial tests of bone marrow did not indicate an infection that would have led to death. West Nile virus testing is still underway.
It appears that some whooping cranes have started to migrate back north, which is several weeks earlier than normal. Perhaps this is not surprising given the unusually warm and dry winter that the southern plains have experienced.
The annual whooping crane festival hosted by the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce was a success. Tour boats reported seeing a high of 49 whooping cranes along the shoreline of the intracoastal waterway on the Blackjack Unit of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Talks and tours were well attended and the weather was cooperative for the most part.

From Texas Whooper Watch and other observers:

February 8: Bird watchers at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas reported six whooping cranes on the refuge. Staff was not able to reconfirm the sighting however this record is 11 days earlier than any previous refuge migration record dating back to 1960. Prior to this, the earliest record was February 19, 2000.
February 10: Five whooping cranes were reported in Wharton County, north of El Campo. This group has been sighted regularly on private lands in this area throughout the winter.
February 17: A confirmed pair of whooping cranes was documented in Matagorda County on The Nature Conservancy’s Mad Island Marsh preserve. Whooping cranes have used this area in previous years but this is the first winter that birds have been documented throughout the winter season.
February 18: Ten whooping cranes were spotted at Granger Lake on the lake shoreline across from Friendship Park. This group consisted of two family groups with one juvenile each and four birds associating as pairs. * See the update below on the marked family group.
February 22:
- Texas Whooper Watch received a report of four whooping cranes migrating with about 300 Sandhill cranes west of Vernon, TX.
- Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma received a report of six whooping cranes near Kremlin, OK and 2 whooping cranes near Ringwood, OK.
February 24: The marked family group (two adults and one juvenile) from Granger Lake left arriving in North Texas that evening. They stayed through Feb. 28 and then moved to SW Oklahoma where they remained through March 2. They then moved on to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in South Central KS, a traditional migration stopover site for whooping cranes, where they currently remain.
March 3: Bird watchers reported eight whooping cranes near North Platte, Nebraska. We are working to confirm this report.

Can You Find the Whooping Cranes?
Every winter when the whooping cranes arrive on the Texas coast, biologists fly aerial surveys to try and get an estimate of the endangered birds’ population. These flights are conducted in December when most of the whooping cranes are known to be on their wintering grounds. This is also a prime time for many other birds to be feeding in the marsh. When flying over whooping crane habitat, this is what biologists see. How many whooping cranes do you see? Click Here.

Tracking the Whooping Cranes
The Whooping Crane Tracking Partnership recently issued their biannual report. The following is a summary of the data captured from the 2012 breeding season through fall migration (approximately May through November).

During the 2012-2013 season, the Whooping Crane Tracking Partnership gathered location data from 36 transmitters during the breeding season and data from 30 transmitters during fall migration. Prior to migration, six transmitters stopped providing data. With the help of the technology, the mortalities of two juveniles and two subadults were confirmed on the breeding grounds of Wood Buffalo National Park. The two other transmitters were confirmed to have broken antenna. The tracking technology also revealed that three cranes spent the summer months in south-central Saskatechewan and 29 marked birds completed the fall migration.

The birds began their fall migration on September 7, 2012, and data indicates that all of the birds arrived on the Texas coast by November 27, 2012. It took the cranes an average of 46 days to make the migration with the migration time ranging from 21 to 67 days. The data shows whooping cranes used 261 different locations where they stopped and stayed for more than one night. Stopover locations occurred in every state and province in the Great Plains. Cranes spent the most time at staging sites in Saskatchewan and the Dakotas. The general migration corridor used was similar to past migrations and there were no mortalities detected during the migration.

The GPS tracking devices are programmed to record four locations daily and provide both daytime and nighttime locations. Transmitters upload data approximately every 2.5 days allowing for monitoring survival. The technology allows biologists to learn which habitats are being used and where the birds stop during their migration – important information when prioritizing management decisions.

Precipitation/Salinity:
The refuge has not had any significant rainfall since February 7, when 1.66 inches were recorded. This extended dry period has continued to impact freshwater availability and salinity levels within whooping crane habitat on and around the Aransas Refuge. Over the past month, the salinity levels in San Antonio Bay have ranged between 21 and 30 ppt, well above optimal levels. Weather forecasts for this upcoming weekend include a chance for a significant rain event.

Food Abundance:
Refuge staff was able to complete a 541-acre prescribed burn last Wednesday along the east shoreline of the Blackjack peninsula, an important foraging area for whooping cranes. This brings the winter burn total to 8,770 acres. This will likely be our last prescribed burn for the winter.

The refuge has secured a contractor to rework two freshwater wells on Matagorda Island in order to enhance freshwater resources available to whooping cranes. We expect that work to begin very soon.

Whooper Update

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 14:51:38 GMT

2012–2013 Winter Whooping Crane Survey:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel conducted 7 surveys of the primary wintering grounds during December 2012. These efforts resulted in the training of 2 new observers and further refinement of the new survey protocol.

Preliminary analyses of the data indicated 257 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 178–362) whooping cranes inhabited the primary wintering grounds. Additional observations suggested that at least 22 whooping cranes were outside the primary wintering grounds during the survey period (see whooping cranes outside the primary survey area below). We estimated 105 (95% CI = 73–146) whooping crane pairs in the primary winter grounds and at least 33 (95% CI = 19–51) of those pairs arrived with at least one chick. We estimated the ratio of chicks to adults during the winter 2012–2013 was 14 chicks (95% CI = 9–21) to 100 adults. As our new observers gain experience and we work out methodological details, we anticipate precision in these estimates to increase.

Examination of the 60-year trend in whooping crane abundance reveals a slow, incremental increase with occasional declines. Such increase has been the rule rather than large year-to-year fluctuation. We do not expect to see wide swings in population growth from one year to the next unless there is a catastrophic event, like a hail storm or chemical spill. During winter 2010–2011, the traditional technique resulted in an estimate of 283 whooping cranes on the wintering grounds. We estimated 254 (95% CI = 198–324) whooping cranes in the primary wintering grounds plus approximately 13 were thought to occur in other areas (i.e., Bayside, Markham, and Granger Lake) during winter 2011–2012. Modeling of the historical time-series of whooping crane abundances predicted 272 (95% CI = 253–298) whooping cranes for winter 2011–2012 and 273 (95% CI = 250–301) for winter 2012–2013.

Measures of the uncertainty in our estimates are new to whooping crane monitoring. In the past, we did not include confidence intervals or other measures of precision because it was assumed that the traditional technique resulted in a complete count. The traditional technique assumed that 1) none of the birds were missed, 2) pairs consistently used a defined area throughout the winter, and 3) a single observer was able to see and account for every single bird over repeated survey effort. Previously, the traditional technique had no established protocol, there was not a survey area or flight pattern determined before each flight, and the observer flew wherever they thought birds might be seen. This made sense when the whooping crane population was small and occupied a relatively small geographic area. Now, we have a pre-established flight pattern that covers the primary wintering area, we used 2 observers on every flight, and accounted for missed birds. Because no statistical model was applied in the past, we had no way of knowing the uncertainty in our estimates. Now, with the application of a protocol-based survey design and statistical models, we can characterize our uncertainty and develop ways to reduce that uncertainty. A simple explanation of confidence intervals which are a measure of uncertainty can be found here.

Every year we do this survey we will learn something new and different and apply it to the next season. Our knowledge and precision will grow and we will have more solid information that leads to better management decisions. We expect this process will take several seasons before the obvious and not-so-obvious factors can be incorporated into the survey protocol and statistical models. This is how science progresses. It is a very typical process and ultimately helps us make the best decisions for the whooping cranes.

Whooping Cranes Outside the Primary Survey Area:
It is important to note that in addition to the estimate of 257 whooping cranes within the primary survey area, approximately 6% to 11% of the whooping crane population can now be found outside the survey area. This is not because the primary survey area is smaller than what was surveyed in the past; in fact, it is larger. This use of “nontraditional” wintering areas is great news and we are trying to get a better understanding of the expansion and use of whooping crane habitat.

As many have stated, in the long-run, having whooping cranes winter in a variety of places across a broader geographic range gives us greater confidence that a catastrophic event will not wipe out the population. For decades there has been genuine concern that one catastrophic event near the refuge could lead to the extinction of whooping cranes. This is such an important part of the ongoing recovery of whooping cranes and cannot be understated. Between Texas Whooper Watch and the increasing number of birds marked with satellite transmitters via the tracking study, we are in a much better position to document birds using areas outside the primary survey area.

The tables below provide our best understanding of birds that were outside the primary survey areas during mid-December. These numbers are concurrent with our aerial surveys. Keep in mind some birds may have been missed. Also, we cannot ever be completely certain that the birds did not move between these locations and to/from the primary survey area while survey flights were being conducted.

These are three different data sources that help document the proportion of the whooping crane population using areas outside of the primary wintering area during mid-December.

Table 1: Texas Whooper Watch

Birds documented outside of the survey area in mid-December via Texas Whooper Watch

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
Granger Lake	6	2	8	Includes 1 marked bird.
N. of El Campo	2	1	3	Includes 1 marked bird. One more pair was documented in the area but we do not have mid-December records.
Total	8	3	11

Table 2: Tracking Study
Birds documented outside of the survey area on December 17th via the tracking study

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
Mission Bay (secondary survey area)	1		1	Marked as chick.
North Matagorda Island (secondary)	2	1	3	Marked chick.
Holiday Beach (secondary)	2	1	3	Marked chick located on the edge of the primary survey area in early morning prior to the aerial survey & and in the secondary survey area twice in the afternoon.
Total	5	2	7

Table 3: U.S. fish and Wildlife Survey
Birds documented in the whooping cranes' secondary areas on December 13th via aerial survey

General Area	Adults	Chicks	Total	Notes:
Powderhorn Lake (secondary survey area)	2		2	Pair located on Myrtle-Whitmire Foster Unit of refuge.
Guadalupe Delta (secondary)	2		2	Two pairs, total of 4 birds, were seen during the Christmas bird count on the 20th.
Total			4

Last Updated: Feb 15, 2013

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:05:15 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

On the morning of Feb. 7, 2013, Aransas Refuge staff retrieved the remains of an adult whooping crane on Matagorda Island. The remains will be sent to a lab for analysis and those results will be shared with the public as soon as they are available.

Surveys & Monitoring

The data on the winter whooping crane population estimate is being processed. We are applying sound science to calculate this estimate and will share it with the public as soon as the estimate is complete.

Whooping Cranes:
On the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge:
• A family group of whooping cranes has been seen using the refuge’s Heron Flats area. The newly renovated observation deck provides some excellent views of the birds, which have been seen relatively close (within a couple of hundred yards).
• A pair of whooping cranes has an established territory that is visible from the Observation Tower.
• Whooping cranes continue to be seen using the prescribed burn areas throughout the refuge.
• When you visit the refuge keep your eyes to the sky as we have whooping cranes flying over the visitor center on occasion!

From Texas Whooper Watch and other observers:
• On Feb. 4, 10 whooping cranes were spotted at Granger Lake. The 10 birds were photographed, including in a field with a couple of hundred sandhill cranes. Previous reports confirmed eight birds.
• One of the whooping cranes at Granger Lake is part of the tracking study and has a GPS leg band. Last year, the juvenile bird spent the entire winter at Granger Lake with its parents. Data collected from the bird’s GPS leg band documents that this year the bird migrated to Aransas Refuge arriving at the end of October and returning to Granger Lake in late January.
• A confirmed pair of whooping cranes was documented in Matagorda County, the Mad Island Marsh, which is on the coast about 30 miles northeast of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. We had 2 confirmed pairs in the area earlier this winter, but they were not spotted during late December through mid-January. Since these birds are not marked, we don’t know if they have moved around this winter or simply were overlooked for a period of time.

Tracking the Whooping Cranes
In 2009, biologists began putting radio telemetry bands on the Aransas-Wood Buffalo whooping crane population. The opportunity to mark the wild birds with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology represents the best opportunity to enhance understanding of the birds and assess the risks they face.

The technology records bird’s locations and allows biologists to learn which habitats they are using, where they stop during their migration, and more. It captures data from the breeding sites at Wood Buffalo National Park, wintering sites along the Texas coast near and at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, and stopover locations between. Near completion, the project calls for the tracking of up to 30 juvenile and 30 adult birds.

The reasons for doing this project are to: 1) learn more about the whooping crane’s breeding, wintering, and migratory ecology, including threats to survival and population; 2) provide reliable scientific data to support decisions affecting conservation, management and recovery efforts; and 3) minimize the negative effects of research activities on the birds.

The whooping cranes are primarily captured using leg snares, a common trapping technique used on larger birds. Capture teams consist of individuals experienced at handling cranes, including a licensed veterinarian. A veterinarian performs a health check on each crane, which includes a general external examination; blood collection to determine pathogen, toxin, and genetic screening; and fecal collections to check for parasites.

The GPS band is attached as a leg band. The bands have solar panels that maximize the battery life giving them a potential lifespan of 3–5 years. The transmitters on the leg bands are programmed to record four GPS locations daily, including daytime and nighttime locations. This data collection schedule allows for detailed information on daytime and roosting sites and general flight paths. Transmitters upload new data approximately every two and a half days allowing researchers to monitor survival of the banded birds. As of this winter, 42 transmitters have been put on wild whooping cranes.

Data collected during the winter of 2011 showed the birds used a variety of distinct areas while over-wintering in Texas, including coastal salt and brackish marsh, agricultural and ranching areas and the inland freshwater wetlands. GPS-marked cranes provided more than 11,000 locations. Approximately 65% of the recorded locations were within the boundaries of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and 22% were recorded on nearby, privately owned lands -- areas the whooping cranes have often used in the past. Nearly 13% of the locations were in areas not known to be frequented by whooping cranes previously.

The 2012 data shows that total time spent migrating between wintering and summering areas ranged from 15 to 46 days and averaged 27 days. For comparison, researchers estimated the average migration time during spring 2011 to be 31 days. The study has documented the whooping cranes using 266 stopover locations -- areas where the birds stayed for one night or more during their migration -- in every state and province in the Great Plains region.

Trapping efforts for the 2012 winter have been completed with researchers able to put tracking bands on 12 birds. While this technology is already proven to be extremely valuable, it will be several years before sufficient data from the individual birds can be collected and fully analyzed. It will take a considerable amount of time before the information gathered will reflect patterns of the population as a whole.

This project is conducted by a partnership of agencies and organizations, which includes the Canadian Wildlife Service, Crane Trust, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, and U.S. Geological Survey, with support from the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, International Crane Foundation, and Parks Canada.

Precipitation/Salinity:
As this is being written, the refuge is getting much-needed rainfall. As of Feb. 6, the salinity levels in San Antonio Bay are currently 24 ppt.

Food Abundance:
The current winter prescribed burn total is more than 8,000 acres. We have approximately 2,000 acres more planned for the winter. Our prescribed burning program is an important part of how we manage whooping crane habitat on the Aransas Refuge. We are seeing continued whooping crane use in the prescribed burned areas throughout the refuge. It opens up new habitat for the birds to forage in and provides food resources such as live oak acorns that would not typically be available. The satellite tracking study is providing insight into how the whooping cranes use the recently burned areas.

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:06:48 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Surveys & Monitoring:
We are still crunching the numbers on the winter whooping crane population estimate and hope to publish it within the next few weeks. We would rather report the best estimate the first time rather than have to revise it later. We understand how important the information is and will make it a priority to circulate the information as soon as it is completed.

Reports from Outside the Survey Area:
The following information is provided by observers who posted on Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Whooper Watch website, as well information we have received.
• There are still eight whooping cranes using the Granger Lake area, two family groups with a chick each and one pair without a chick. Whooper Watch observers have been able to photograph some of the birds using small stock ponds on private lands near the lake. One observer reported “I was out yesterday (Jan. 16) on my own at Granger and got to watch five whoopers together at a farmer's pond. A nearby family group "took over" the pond that a pair was dancing in. While the pair stayed close by, the group with a juvenile (no transmitter that I could see) began dancing, all of them, especially the juvenile, then bathed in the pond! They would squat and dip their bodies, then shake their feathers off. Then they would dip they heads under the water, then bring them up and shake their heads.”
• Though it is infrequent, five whooping cranes (a family group and a pair) northwest of El Campo continue to be seen by local biologists and wardens.
• An experienced birder reported a pair of whooping cranes using farm fields in conjunction with a larger group of sandhill cranes near the Loyola Beach area of Kleberg County. We are still gathering evidence to confirm the sighting but if you bird this area regularly, please keep an eye out and report any sightings to the Texas Whooper Watch.

Count or Estimate?:
Questions have come in regarding the difference between a “count” (or census) and an “estimate” (or survey). As it relates to whooping cranes, a census is an exact count where a survey is an estimate of the true number.

From about 1950 to 2010, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge staff attempted to conduct a census of the whooping crane population. The census would account for every individual bird in the population regardless of where they were found. This was possible because the population was small and stayed in a relatively small area.

In wildlife biology, there are few cases where one can successfully complete a count/census of truly wild animals. This is mostly because, by nature, wildlife species move around in their environment. Also, they live in places where it might be easy to overlook them. Animals raised in zoos and released in the wild can be marked with transmitters or bands, which help biologists get an exact count. This is what has been done with the eastern migratory population of whooping cranes that are part of a reintroduction project.

When the Aransas- Wood Buffalo whooping crane population was small and inhabited a limited area, it was reasonable to assume that most of the individual birds could be accounted for. Fortunately the whooping crane population has grown both in numbers and winter range over the past 20 years.
What was originally a primary wintering range of the Blackjack Peninsula is today extended to encompass more than 30 miles of the Texas coast. Click here to see the survey map.

In addition to the expanded range, we know the birds are moving in and out of the survey area. Data from the satellite tracking study shows the radio-marked birds move frequently, sometimes on a daily basis. We can no longer assume that we can properly account for every individual in the winter population because of the expanded range and increased population that moves around on the landscape.

To make the transition from counting a few endangered species to surveying a growing population, the field of biology has developed methods for estimating the number of individuals in a population through the use of surveys within a given area. It is especially important the method be consistent and can be repeated. The basic survey method we use to estimate the wintering whooping crane population is Distance Sampling, a widely used technique that has been tested on many wildlife species in a variety of habitats.

Knowing the whooping crane winter range is extensive and the birds move around, we are certain we will miss some of the individuals when conducting an aerial survey. To account for this, we use statistical models that extrapolate the “estimated” number of individuals in a survey area. We get an estimate of all of the whooping cranes in the survey based on the individual birds that are actually seen on the various flights. We conduct several flights using the exact same counting method every time -- consistent and repeatable.

This type of statistical model typically produces an estimate of the true number of species with an associated confidence interval, i.e. we are 95% confident that the true population is between 220 and 270 individuals. In this case, the population estimate would be 245 individuals +/- 25.

Several comments expressed concern that the first Distance Sampling estimate conducted last year had too large of a confidence interval to be able to detect change in the birds’ population. This year, our second time to apply the new survey methodology, we are working to narrow that confidence interval. We are doing this by flying more survey days, this is more data to include in the modeling to increase the precision. We are also continuing to refine the statistical model. Adding data and refining the model is a typical scientific process that will lead to increased statistical precision of our whooping crane population estimate.

That said, the Aransas Wood-Buffalo population is made up of wild birds so there is always going to be some uncertainty when estimating the population. We are confident that the finalized survey protocol will be able to detect change in the birds’ population over time and will provide us the information needed to make critical management decisions.

In human terms, a real life example can be found in the classroom where a teacher takes attendance to count students. She/he gets a count, an exact number. It is possible because each student is known and can be accounted for. That afternoon, the class attends a ceremony in the auditorium. Looking over the auditorium, the principal wants to gauge how many students are in attendance. How does she/he get an accurate accounting if students are coming and going? How can it possibly be known who didn’t attend school that day? The same principle applies to whooping cranes. It was possible to count the birds when there were less but the growing population and expanded range makes it hard to continue counting individual birds. Thankfully there are more whooping cranes and they are finding new habitats to winter, feed and raise their young.

Satellite Tracking Study:
The U.S. Geological Survey, International Crane Foundation, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and other partners wrapped up this winter’s trapping season with a total of 12 whooping cranes marked with satellite transmitters. This important study has one more year of marking birds. Next winter, the team will come back to Texas to mark 10 more birds, which will wrap up the trapping portion of the study.

Precipitation/Salinity:
Since the last update, we have received 1.9 inches of rain. Most of this rain came on January 9, right after our last update. As is normal after a big rain event, we saw significant movement of cranes into the coastal marsh areas. They were undoubtedly taking advantage of the newly available freshwater and food. Salinity in San Antonio Bay dipped to less than 20 ppt for a couple days after the rain day but it has stayed between 22 and 27 ppt since then. We are hoping for another significant rain event to freshen up the coastal marsh and maintain optimal habitat conditions.

Food Abundance:
Refuge staff were able to complete a 1,095 acre prescribed burn last Thursday on the southern tip of the Blackjack peninsula, an important foraging area for whooping cranes. This brings the winter burn total to more than 8,000 acres. We have another 2,000 acres or so still planned for the winter. Our prescribed burning program is an important part of how we manage whooping crane habitat on the Aransas Refuge. It opens up new habitat for the birds to forage in and provides food resources such as live oak acorns that would not typically be available. The satellite tracking study is providing insight into how the whooping cranes use the recently burned areas.

Questions?
For general questions regarding the methodology, I would recommend taking another look at the December 18 Whooping Crane Update. The website also has extensive information about the survey methodology that can be found here.

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:07:40 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping Crane News:
The tracking partnership continues to provide us new insight into whooping crane use of traditional coastal marsh areas. For example, we continue to note more extensive movement of family groups from the Blackjack peninsula to Matagorda/San Jose Islands during the winter season than previously documented.

Items of note from Texas Whooper Watch and other observers of whooping cranes observed outside the winter survey area include the following (from LeeAnn Linam, TPWD):

Sightings since mid-December have indicated that only one family group and one pair remain at Granger Lake. The family group using the area includes one satellite radio marked bird, so we are able to monitor movements. However, LeeAnn reported that she has an unconfirmed sighting of another family group using farm fields nearby, so there still may be a total of 8 birds in the area. The Granger Lake manager recently observed some courtship behavior, including object tossing, and other observers have noted some dancing.

•Local biologists, game wardens, and landowners continue to sight 5 whooping cranes (a family group and a pair) northwest of El Campo. One of these birds is a radio marked chick, and we have noted quite a bit of movement over the past several weeks. These cranes are using rice fields and flooded impoundments, along with numerous waterfowl and sandhill cranes.

•Guadalupe Delta – Brent Ortego (TPWD) reports that the Guadalupe Delta Christmas Bird Count on December 20 detected at least two pairs of whoopers, one near River Road and one near the Barge Canal. We had previously noted a pair in the southern part of the Guadalupe Delta while flying our secondary survey areas. At this time, the Guadalupe Delta is not in our primary survey area, but we will continue to evaluate if the area is supporting enough overwintering cranes to warrant adding it to the primary survey area in future years.

We are working to confirm several other reports of whooping cranes outside the normal coastal winter range, stay tuned!

Surveys & Monitoring:
As reported in the last update, we have completed aerial surveys for our peak winter abundance estimate. Our regional office Biological Inventory and Monitoring team is diligently working to analyze the data and we hope to be able to release a peak whooping crane estimate by the next update. The final draft protocol for our abundance estimates is close to completion, and it will be sent out for external peer review sometime in February.

Satellite Tracking Study:
The US Geological Survey, International Crane Foundation, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and other partners have marked a total of twelve whooping cranes as of January 7th. The trapping team worked over this past weekend and early this week to mark 3 additional birds and hope to mark one more bird before finishing the winter field season the end of this week. Currently, over 40 marked birds in the flock are being tracked.

Precipitation/Salinity:
Relatively dry conditions persist around the Refuge, since the last update we have received about 2 inches of rain. We expect the low pressure system currently in place will increase our rainfall totals significantly and hopefully enhance coastal marsh conditions for the whooping cranes. The salinity level in San Antonio Bay was reported at 24 parts per thousand on January 9, and we expect that salinity will decline following the recent rains. NOAA reported this morning that the lower Guadalupe River will reach minor flood stage at Bloomington this weekend, which should give us a needed freshwater influx into San Antonio Bay.

Food Abundance:
Given the colder water temperatures (54F reported Jan. 9) and associated low tides we recently experienced, it appears that blue crabs and wolfberries are becoming less abundant in the marshes and whooping cranes are likely beginning to transition to increased use of other late-winter food sources. Refuge staff plan to prescribe burn a total of 8,000 -10,000 acres this winter to assist in providing food sources for the cranes. To date, 6,500 acres have been burned since October 2012.

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:08:20 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping Crane News:
We have been seeing the whooping cranes moving about extensively within the coastal areas. It seem as though the birds may finally be settling in for the winter.

From Texas Whooper Watch and other observers, the following has been reported on whooping cranes outside the winter survey area:
• As of Dec. 17, five birds (one family group and one pair) have been spotted near Granger Lake near Austin, Texas. We are not sure if the three additional birds previously spotted have moved on.
• Three birds have recently been sighted using private land north of El Campo.
• In Matagorda County, participants in the annual Christmas Bird Count did not report seeing any whooping cranes using coastal marsh. The two pairs of birds using the area were last spotted on Dec. 10.

Surveys & Monitoring:
To date, we have completed seven survey flights (November 28, 29 and December 5, 12, 13, 14 and 17). This will conclude our aerial flight surveys used to estimate the number of cranes found on the primary areas of the wintering grounds. Over the next several weeks, we will be working to compile and analyze the data collected and expect to provide an estimate on the number of cranes by late January.

The December 13 flight included fly-overs of the secondary survey areas (North Matagorda Island, Powderhorn Lake and Guadalupe Delta). Two pairs of cranes were seen using the coastal marsh in these areas.

Satellite Tracking Study:
The U.S. Geological Survey, International Crane Foundation, Gulf Coast Bird Observatory and other partners have marked a total of nine whooping cranes as of December 17. The trapping team plans to resume work the week of January 5 to finalize the winter trapping and marking efforts. Currently, nearly 40 marked birds in the flock are being tracked.

Precipitation/Salinity:
Relatively dry conditions persist around the refuge. Since the last update we have received less than 1/4 inch of rain. Long term forecasts are now calling for continued drier than normal winter conditions. Salinity levels for San Antonio Bay have ranged from 26 to 30 parts per thousand this past month.

Food Abundance:
Whooping cranes seem to now be focusing on blue crabs in the coastal marshes. A prescribed burn consisting of 4,520 acres was conducted on Matagorda Island on December 18 with immediate crane use.

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:09:04 GMT

Wade Harrell, U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator

Whooping Crane News:
Nearly all of the radio-marked whooping cranes have migrated to their wintering grounds on the Texas coast. Visitors coming to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge have a chance of seeing four adult whooping cranes that have been frequenting the observation tower. There are also several whooping cranes utilizing the Heron Flats area just south of Refuge Headquarters. The new observation deck at Heron Flats is now open for visitor use. Whooping cranes are being intermittently observed near Cavasso Creek, just off TX Hwy 35 North of Lamar. If you wish to view whooping cranes from a public highway, please use caution by making sure you are pulled completely off the highway and out of traffic flow. Keep in mind when viewing whooping cranes that they are sensitive to human disturbance and harassing them is a violation of federal law. Avoid approaching cranes and if they appear alarmed, increase your distance.
With the help of Texas Whooper Watch and other observers, several family groups and individuals have been confirmed outside the winter survey area, including:

A confirmed report of two unmarked birds sighted near Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Kansas on November 29th.
As of Dec. 1, a total of eight birds have been regularly spotted at Granger Lake east of the Austin area. Some of these birds are marked with satellite transmitters and we have confirmed that at least a portion of these birds are the same individuals that used this same area last year.
A total of five birds, a family group with one chick and one pair, have been seen utilizing private lands north of El Campo.
In Matagorda County, observers have noted two pairs of whooping cranes using coastal marsh.

Continued observations of birds using habitat outside of the traditional wintering areas is an encouraging sign that whooping cranes are successfully exploiting resources and may be expanding their winter range. This would be a positive development for the continuing recovery of the wild flock. Expansion into new areas will provide additional security if a catastrophic event such as a late season hurricane were to impact the Aransas Refuge area. We will continue to monitor whooping cranes that are located outside of our regular aerial survey area.

Surveys & Monitoring:
We are conducting aerial surveys from Lamar to south of Port O’Conner as weather permits. Our survey goal is to fly at least five times before the end of December to obtain an accurate population estimate. To date, we have completed three flights (November 28th, 29th and December 5th ). We will provide a peak abundance estimate for our survey area once we have met our goal of at least five survey days. We are not able to capture 100% of the wintering flock within our aerial surveys. Our aerial survey focuses on the traditional high use areas on and around Aransas Refuge, but the continued expansion of the flock has resulted in birds spread out across a greater geographic area than we can effectively fly in a day. Hence, information on whooping crane locations from Texas Whooper Watch and other volunteer observers is invaluable In helping us document whooping crane use of areas outside of their traditional wintering grounds.

There has been considerable public interest in the changes to wintering whooping crane surveys over the past year. Staff members from Aransas Refuge have flown low-level aerial surveys to estimate the number of whooping cranes in and around Aransas Refuge since 1950. This long-term data set is key in understanding the only remaining wild whooping crane population and is paramount in helping us make effective decisions regarding whooping crane conservation. In the past, an attempt was made to conduct a complete census, counting every bird. Recently, the Service has established a protocol for the aerial surveys to ensure that our surveys are conducted in a systematic way. This protocol is repeatable, allowing any trained biologist to produce a consistent and reliable population estimate within the survey area. We fly predetermined transects at an altitude of 200 feet within the traditional winter coastal areas with two observers each looking for whooping cranes up to 500 m to the side of a small, single engine airplane. Realizing that it is unlikely that we are detecting every crane in the survey area, we have begun implementing a widely-used technique called distance sampling. Distance sampling allows us to account for missed birds and estimate the total number of birds within the survey area. This technique also provides a mechanism for estimating statistical error and produces a confidence interval for the estimate (i.e. +/-). Our agency policy directs us to use the best available science, and clarify uncertainty in our monitoring efforts. We are continuing to work with partners to refine our methodology, ensuring it is as scientifically sound and reliable as possible.

The US Geological Survey, International Crane Foundation and other partners are currently on Matagorda Island trapping, marking with satellite transmitters and releasing whooping cranes for an ongoing tracking study. Information from this study will provide us with valuable information on how whooping cranes utilize their entire range, from their nesting area around Wood Buffalo National Park, along the migratory corridor throughout the middle part of the US, and on their wintering grounds in Texas. This tracking effort also provides us estimates on whooping crane mortality throughout the range, an important piece of information for the recovery effort. As of December 10, six whooping cranes have been marked and released, with the winter 2012-2013 goal of marking 10 total birds. Currently around 35 marked birds in the flock that are being tracked.

Precipitation/Salinity:
Conditions on and around the Refuge have been drier than the long term forecast indicated, but the Refuge was fortunate to receive a total of 2” of rain from pre-frontal events in early December. Salinity levels for San Antonio Bay have ranged from 26 to 28 parts per thousand this past month. Recent rains should reduce salinity somewhat, which will help in maintaining blue crab abundance in the marsh.

Food Abundance:
Refuge staff continues to find whooping crane scat filled with wolfberry seeds. This year’s wolfberry crop on the refuge appears to be much improved from the previous few years. Tour boats have reported seeing whooping cranes regularly feeding on blue crabs in the marshes along the Refuge shoreline. Refuge staff plan to prescribe burn a total of 7,000 -10,000 acres this winter to assist in providing food sources for the cranes. To date, 1,657 acres have been burned since October.

Refuge Update:
We currently are developing plans to rehabilitate 2 existing water wells on Matagorda Island. This will provide consistent fresh water for whooping cranes to use during dry periods. The Friends of Aransas and Matagorda Island group has led the charge in raising funds for this effort and we are grateful for their assistance. We are also evaluating freshwater availability across the Refuge to ensure we are meeting the needs of whooping cranes and other wildlife. As mentioned earlier, the Heron Flats observation deck is now open for public use.

Aransas NWR Whooper Crane Update

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 16:36:33 GMT

Whooping Cranes:
The majority of the radio-marked whooping cranes have migrated to their wintering grounds on the Texas coast. There have also been sightings of cranes in Oklahoma. The survey season has begun and we hope to have preliminary estimates available for the next update. Visitors coming to the refuge have a chance of seeing four adult whooping cranes that have been frequenting the observation tower.

Surveys & Monitoring:
Refuge biologists conducted the first whooping crane aerial survey of the season November 28, 2012, and the second survey is being flown today. Data analysis is ongoing and several additional flights are scheduled to occur prior to December 17th. Based on the first flight, the cranes appear to be evenly distributed from Lamar to south of Port O’Connor and the marsh conditions look good.

Thanks to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Whooper Watch, the public has reported seeing several whooping cranes at Granger Lake near Austin, Texas, more than 150 miles north of the survey area. Additionally, whooping cranes have been seen in the uplands and utilizing the sand dunes of Matagorda Island, a behavior that is typical of sandhill cranes.

Precipitation/Salinity:
As of November 28th, the monthly precipitation levels for Aransas National Wildlife Refuge are 0.61 inches and salinity levels for San Antonio Bay are recorded as 29.4 parts per thousand. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is still predicting a wetter than average winter and spring for coastal Texas in 2013. Because El Niño's development was abruptly halted, the agency has revised its prediction of the weather for the remainder of most of the country.

Food Abundance:
Refuge staff continue to find whooping crane scat filled with wolfberry seeds. This year’s wolfberry crop on the refuge has been abundant and is being utilized by the birds.

Refuge Update:
Whooping Crane Coordinator Dr. Wade Harrell will be heading up the aerial surveys this season. Wade is from Corpus Christi and has a B.S. in Wildlife and Rangeland Science from Texas A&M Kingsville. He earned both his M.S. and PhD from Oklahoma State University in Rangeland Ecology. He has served with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Coordinator for the Austin Ecological Services office since 2009 where he led a team of biologists in restoring and maintaining diverse wildlife habitats. Prior to coming to work for the Service, Wade was employed by The Nature Conservancy of Texas serving as the Coastal Prairies Project Director for six years.

Sonny Perez is the new deputy refuge manager. Sonny comes most recently from the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge in the lower Rio Grande Valley where he managed the 90,000-acre refuge known primarily for its recovery efforts on ocelots, a highly endangered wild cat. In addition, Sonny led the refuge’s efforts on Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle recovery efforts, as well as managed a large public use program, habitat restoration work, oil and gas issues, land acquisition and more. He graduated from Texas A&M Kingsville and is originally from Falfurrias.

Refuge Manager Dan Alonso reached 25 years of service and has decided to retire. His plans are to remain in the area where he will continue to be involved in whooping crane issues. Brad Strobel, refuge biologist, accepted a position closer to his family in Wisconsin. His new position will be with the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, the refuge that hosts the Eastern migratory flock of whooping cranes each summer for nesting. We wish Dan and Brad the best of luck and thank them for their service to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Whooping Crane Update

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:10:01 GMT

Whooping Cranes: It is estimated that approximately 35% of the radio-marked whooping cranes have made it to their wintering grounds on the Texas coast. There have also been sightings of the cranes in Oklahoma.

Salinity Levels: The salinity levels in San Antonio Bay were recorded at 26.6 parts per thousand today.

Drought Conditions: The area is still unusually dry but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts south Texas will see a wetter than average winter and spring in 2013.

Food Abundance: While conducting field work during the last few weeks, refuge biologists have come across a lot of whooping crane scat filled with wolfberry seeds. It appears this year’s wolfberry crop is still on schedule and seems to be strong.

Inventory & Monitoring: Refuge staff began using traps to survey blue crabs in the marshes on the Blackjack peninsula this September. Blue crabs appear to be abundant in the marsh with many traps capturing more than 10 crabs per night.

Freshwater Availability: To make certain freshwater is available to the whooping cranes when they arrive, refuge staff continue to work water well sites previously used by cranes on the Blackjack peninsula.

Citizen Science: Texas Parks and Wildlife launched its Texas Whooper Watch Program. This is an opportunity for the public to report sightings of whooping cranes in Texas. This is very helpful in the collection of information regarding the birds’ migration and distribution. Please see the link below to learn more.

Helpful Links:
Texas Whooper Watch Program
Whooping Crane Draft Revised International Recovery Plan (2006)

Whooping Crane Update

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 12:10:45 GMT

Whooping Cranes:
-On October 23 the refuge biologist and manager saw one adult whooping crane feeding in the marshes on the Blackjack peninsula. The bird ate at least two prey items during the 3-5 minutes it was observed.
-One GPS marked whooping crane arrived on the Texas coast on October 18 and has been using the marsh habitat extensively.
-All other GPS marked whooping cranes are north of South Dakota awaiting favorable migration conditions. Biologists expect the cranes will take advantage of the strong north winds associated with seasonal cold fronts.

Salinity Levels: The bay waters are fresher than they were at this time last fall and winter. The salinity levels in San Antonio Bay was recorded as 23.9 parts per thousand.

Drought Conditions: To date, the refuge has received 25.6 inches of rain, which is a foot more than we had last winter at this time. The area is still unusually dry but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts south Texas will see a wetter than average winter and spring in 2013.

Food Abundance: Wolfberry conditions in the marsh appear to be much better than this time last year. While conducting field work during the last few weeks, refuge biologists have noticed many flowering and budding wolfberry plants. Peak berry abundance typically occurs in November and December and the plants seem to be on schedule.

Inventory & Monitoring: Refuge staff began using traps to survey blue crabs in the marshes on the Blackjack peninsula this September. Blue crabs appear to be abundant in the marsh with many traps capturing more than 10 crabs per night.

Freshwater Availability: To make certain freshwater is available to the whooping cranes when they arrive, refuge staff have been working on water well sites previously used by cranes on the Blackjack peninsula to ensure they are in good working condition.

Citizen Science: Texas Parks and Wildlife launched its Texas Whooper Watch Program. This is an opportunity for the public to report sightings of whooping cranes in Texas. This is very helpful in the collection of information regarding the birds’ migration and distribution. Please see the link above to learn more.