September is an exciting month for Operation Migration. The annual Whooping Crane Festival’s just right around the corner; September 13-15 in Berlin,Wisconsin. There’s still time to register. Events included:
Friday night dinner at the Tuscombia Country Club. Kenn Kaufman, author of Kingbird Highway – The Biggest Year in the Life of an Extreme Birder. Kaufman will give a presentation entitled Bird Flight as Science and Magic;

At sunrise on Saturday morning (weather permitting), guests will be able to watch the Class of 2013 undertake their morning flight training at White River Marsh Wildlife Area (I had an opportunity to view the class of 2010 when they were training at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge. This was my best birding experience ever. I was in tears.);
Head back to Berlin for a pancake breakfast at 9:00 and the beginning of the festival: peruse the vendor area, attend speaker sessions, bid on silent auction items;

  • Pat Fisher 9:30 to 10:30 – Raptor Rehabilitation: The programs ‘Fisher’ offers are “up close and personal” as she educates with birds ‘on the glove.’ The birds make learning a personal experience and are the best way to present wildlife education. Check out The Feather!
  • Michelle Taliaferro 1 1:00 to Noon
  • John French 1:00 to 2:00 – USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center: 
  • Tom Schultz 2:30 to 3:30 – Wisconsin Society for Ornithology:
  • Joe Duff 4:00 to 5:00 – Operation Migration: Joe is the co-founder and CEO of Operation Migration. While there are not very many humans who can include ‘flying with birds’ on their list of accomplishments, if one were ranking them on the number of hours and species, Joe would be at the top of the list. Since 1993, Joe has logged hundreds of hours, guiding Canada geese, Sandhill cranes, Trumpeter swans and of course Whooping cranes along pre-determined migration routes in his small aircraft. Come listen to Joe as he recounts his adventures with humor and incredible images.

Sunday morning offers another chance to see the chicks fly;
Join in the day-trip to see all 15 species of cranes at the International Crane Foundation in nearby Baraboo, WI.

Also a reminder: The whoopers will complete their training and be on their way south to Florida in less than six weeks. You can log-on to Operation Migration’s website to watch their daily progress.
If you wish, you can support OM by purchasing Mile Markers to help fund the program. Distances begin at 1/4 miles.