Whoopers

[Allen]

So I happened to find myself outside in the middle of the day on the 20th, and wow...I was not disappointed. I had somewhere around 50-60 whooping cranes circling over my place for about 20 minutes. It's been a few years since I've seen a whooper, but this is by far the largest flock (actually two in close proximity) that I've ever seen. As a bonus, there was a male and female osprey in the air at the same time. Pretty sure I've seen more whoopers over the years than I have osprey in ND.

Oh yeah, and it was gorgeous out!

 

[db-2]

As a kid back in late 50 my dad and i were goose hunting when a flock of about 20 came over head, Remember like yesterday. db

 

[Greenhorn]

Thanks!!! My mom and I went for a walk as well and were wondering what those were!

 

[Dirty]

50-60 whoopers, huh?

I will take some of what Allen is having, please…:;:smokin;:;boozer

 

[Achucker]

50-60 isn't that like more than half the population

 

[Dirty]

Google tells me there is close to 800 these days…close to 700 in the wild.

Any Bigfoots out that afternoon, Allen?!?!? :;:stirthepot

 

[risingsun]

;:;rofl It was actually 420 day so......maybe there was some smoke in the air? Before along came the birds?

 

[db-2]

i believe. db

 

[honkerslayer]

I’ve been looking for years and still never seen one. Maybe someday

 

[Wall-eyes]

Saw flock of 40 or so above work yesterday in Bismarck around noon circling like they were confused.

 

[Paddledogger]

I've seen lots of Sandhill Cranes. Usually the Whoopers are followed by the Federal Wildlife guys in a pickup since they are on the endangered species list....or at least they were.

 

[snow1]

Saw flock of 40 or so above work yesterday in Bismarck around noon circling like they were confused.

spring migration snow goose hunting all the different species in full plumage,usually watching migrating cranes and pelicans from my layout years back high altitude thermals they ride heading north.

good thing in a layout out on 4/20 ...otherwise a guy might tip over looking up.

 

[duckman1302]

I’ve been looking for years and still never seen one. Maybe someday

I am with you here. Keep looking.

 

[1lessdog]

I seen them many years ago, when we were pass shooting Sandhill cranes. They were coming off Horsehead lake up by Steele.

There was a Federal warden on the road when we go back to the pickup. He looked at are birds and asked if we seen them come off, and we did.

 

[Rowdie]

MMMMMM...MMMM Whooping Crane LOINS

 

[Allen]

Google tells me there is close to 800 these days…close to 700 in the wild.

Any Bigfoots out that afternoon, Allen?!?!? :;:stirthepot

Actually, there is. But he looks thin enough to be a plywood cutout.

Oh yeah, and I think I was as surprised as most of you with the numbers. I guess they use Long Lake NWR as a stopping over point, so I kind of wonder if they didn't get piled in there because of the recent weather. By far the most I've ever seen at once. They were actually split into two flocks, the first I counted roughly 30 and the second flock was about 2/3's the size of the first one. Both were in view for at least 15 minutes. Then after I could no longer see them, roughly a 15 minutes later another flock of 8 came over.

 

[Rowdie]

There were a group of 4 hanging out with a flock of snows one year around 4-mile bay. Probably about 8 years ago. I didn't know the juveniles were part brown but was sure the adults were whoopers. I checked em out on the ole internet and sure enough they were juvies. I'm guessing a family group.

Boy were they tasty!!! JK

 

[ndlongshot]

There was flock of 18 hanging out SE of bismarck just before the storm and I hadn't heard an update. Sounds like they weathered the storm alright.

700-800 is the highest estimates i've heard for awhile. I hope thats the case. Many of the birds are non migratory or in captivity. The birds that still migrate to canada are pretty special. A much small number of individuals. You likely saw a significant portion of the entire population, which is also a slight reason for concern. If something would happen when they are bunched up like that it would be a massive blow to the population. Blizzard, wind farm mass casualty, or avian influenza....to name a few.

Im pretty sure I read in one of the old ND Outdoors that whoopers used to nest in ND around stump lake, in the pioneer days. Pretty awesome. Wonder if we could make it happen again? In a new, not so "wet" area.

 

[Dirty]

Population in the wild is 600+ from what I read.
Was once only 23 birds or something like that. Pretty decent rebound but that is still a damn small number.
Allen saw close to 10% of the wild population through the smoke rings, from his doorstep on 4/20 day.

 

[rodcontrol]

I keep my eye to the sky often and I have only seen one bird in ND near Noonan while moose hunting. The other encounter was near Black River Falls Wisconsin on my way home from Chicago.