Personality and History

Personality Characteristics: Wimpy and small and often cries to the puppet. "Follows and begs right next to you, nonstop." Clingy. This bird loves to investigate and peck at the aircraft and will not leave it alone. Often appears as if he plans on jumping in the pilot's seat. VERY curious! 6/23: Handlers watched him find a garter snake, then shake it until it was dead. Crane #311 then swiped the snake and swallowed it whole! Wasn't yet a strong flyer at beginning of August. Reminds Brian of Crane #9 from the 2002 flock.
First Migration South: Flew all but 33.1 miles
History: Last of the 2003 chicks to attain adult voice.
Spring 2004: Left Chassahowitzka together with the other 7 remaining chicks on April 7 at 9:10 a.m. They flew until rain stopped them, landing in Jefferson Cty., FL at 3:35 where they roosted that night. Took off April 8 in the group of 8 but a thunderstorm separated the cranes into 3 groups. Cranes #307, #302 and #311 --each now traveling solo--were located by radio signals April 9 in Georgia after each gained about another 100 miles. On April 10, #307 left the roost in Henry County, Georgia, at 9:29a.m. and was not tracked for several days. On April 16, several visual sightings of #307 in flight were made. On June 2 he arrived at Necedah NWR, HOME to roost!

Fall 2004: He departed Necedah NWR on migration, and guided the now-feathered youngster #418 along with him! The two landed to roost in west-central Indiana the first day out. Unfortunately, #307 took off again and flew about 60 miles farther, leaving untrained #418 behind. On Nov. 10, #307 roosted just shy of the southeast coast of Georgia in McIntosh County. He was found in Chatham County, Georgia, on Nov. 14-15th. By Nov. 17th, he had moved to Beaufort County, South Carolina. He remained in marsh and a harvested cornfields in southeast South Carolina, just north of the Georgia State line, through at least Feb. 7, 2005.
Spring 2005: On April 4 he spent time in Monroe County, WI and completed migration to Necedah NWR that evening. Later in the week he moved to an area south of Necedah NWR where he spent time in 2004, but returned to Necedah NWR in April. He apparently joined #303 (nonfunctional transmitter) on 17 April and both birds were later found near Paul J. Olson SWA, Portage and Wood Counties, where they stayed for several days. He was last seen August 4 on Necedah NWR with #402, 403, 412, 416 and 417. (He cannot be tracked because his transmitter no longer works.) He was seen often in summer and fall on Necedah NWR.

Fall 2005: Began migration November 17. Arrived at Jasper-Pulaski SWA, northwestern Indiana, in late afternoon. He was next reported on Nov. 29, alone in Jackson County, Alabama. He was still there in mid December. He did not reappear on his previous wintering site in Beaufort County, South Carolina.

Spring 2006: Has not been detected since Dec. 2 in Alabama. Arrived safely in WI.

Fall 2006: Began migration from Wisconsin's Necedah NWR on 9 November 9 along with #510, #511, #512 and #519. They made it to northern Illinois that night. No further reports until January 2, when they were found in Levy County, FL!

Spring 2007: Departed Alachua County, FL on March 8. Back on the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin by March 12! Seen on March 26 unison calling and doing territorial behavior with #102. By April 5 he and W1-06 remained together and were no longer hanging out with several other whooping cranes there.

Fall 2007: Began migration from Wisconsin on November 21 along with 402, 412, 511, 514, and W601 (the flock's only wild-hatched chick so far). Last recorded with 402, 412, 511, 514 and W601 at a migration stop in northeastern Georgia on 30 November 30. He had separated from all of these cranes by Dec. 10 and wasn't recorded again until March in Minnesota (see below).