Whoopers Happening: Recent Comments

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

Nancy Drew — 2010-02-04T01:46:50Z

Hi there Mark,
I want to thank you for publishing this podcast. I too never think of February 2nd without remembering that morning. Sitting at the computer to see if Liz had posted anything yet and finding that terse announcement telling me that they had all died. For a day or so we didn't realize that 615 had somehow escaped. I couldn't believe it. I can only imagine how hard it was for Liz to write that post and for all the WCEP people at that meeting to hear. I had followed the cranes since 2001 and was just devastated.
Three years later and your podcast still has the ability to bring tears to my eyes. That memory is what helped me design the raffle quilt for 2008 which I gave to OM to help raise money. It is still one of my favorite quilts. You can see it on my webshots album if you are interested. Here is the link.
http://tinyurl.com/yffl4lb
I made it a tiny URL for easier linking.
Say Hi to Peggy
Love,
nancy

Thanks, Nancy. Just like December 7th, November 22nd and January 28th, February 2nd will remain with many of us as a date we felt the tragedy and huge disappointment in losing something we loved. Your quilt and other similar contributions resulted from the birds loss, and as I stated earlier... something good can come from such a terrible loss.

Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

Veronica — 2010-02-03T04:07:07Z

Hi Mark,

This is my first year to learn of the OM & Whooping Cranes. My Aunt Erma & Uncle Dick of Bloomington, IL, clued me in and I was hooked. I first read as much as a could on your Website, I immensely enjoyed the Photos (I am a Photographer.) Liz was very kind to answer my Questions even though she was one busy lady. Thanks Liz :-)
When I came across the story about the loss of the Class of 2006...I had to keep wiping my eyes so I could finish reading it....as I did this evening when I saw your blog and photo honoring the Class of 2006. Two years later I felt sorrow and shock, like it happened this year. Feb. 1st will stick in my mind now; this date is also my mother’s Birthday, one that is hard to forget.
With a sense of Excitement and thrill, I was watching the Live TrikeCam as [Joe] dropped off the last 10 Whoopers of the class of 2009 I was thinking of The Class of 2006 and wondering how that tragedy could be kept from re-occurring. Is it possible to install Lightening Rods on a tower or Pole away from the Pen to draw away any lightening strike that may occur? I was wondering if the Pen had a medal frame or pole that could be dangerous in a storm.
I saw that there was one whooper #615 who survived that storm Feb.1st 07 but a few months later died....I could not find the results of Test to see how #615 died...can you tell me what happened to him?

There is a shortage of the Blue Crabs this winter…Very scary to think there maybe another Die off of Whooping Cranes because of the lack of a very important food source. We have fisheries raising fish to release into lakes…why can’t we raise Blue Crabs and release them into the The Whooping Cranes Marshes?
All you OM People amaze me. Thank you for your personal Sacrifices to insure the survival of one of God’s Creations. Every year it seems like there are always some problems or unfortunate events you guys must endure. I pray that God may bless you all and give you a great year working with The Class of 2010.
Veronica

Hi Veronica,

Well, thank you for your comments, but let me clarify, as I have many times, I am a volunteer and I am not with Operation Migration nor even work with the birds. I am just a reporter who volunteers, and this is all on my own. But I understand what you are saying to the team, and they'd appreciate that. There was no actual metal pole or such to induce a lightening strike that early morning of February 2nd, but the National Weather Service documented hundreds of such strikes that morning during the awful storm that likely also spawned tornadoes. One strike was not far from the pen site, and the theory goes that the voltage could have been what stunned the birds, leading to them drowning in the several feet of water in their pen. It might have killed some, as tissue samples did show scarring from a voltage source from the 4 birds they necropsied. The main thing is they were trapped in their pen and could not have escaped if they wanted since the top netting prevented this. They were being kept in the top-netted pen due to the presence of the older adult Whoopers, who would steal their food and often harass them, possibly harming the young chicks as well.

Since 2007 there is now a gate at the pen site which has gauged reservoirs, which, if filled by water to a calibrated level, will cause the gate to fall away. The birds would then have a large area to fly out of. This has been in place since the winter of 2007, and was the design of OM's ultralight pilot Richard Van Heuvelen. Also, the Chass winter team carry weather radios, to monitor any slight or last-minute changes in the forecast. The storms were not even predicted that morning until after midnight.

The blue crabs affect the Whoopers here, but mostly the flock at Aransas, which depends on them for their food since they provide the energy and fat levels the birds need to be able to achieve their migration of 2500 milers back to northern Canada this spring. This shortage is due to the drought conditions on Texas' east coast, but also a water mismanagement of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which controls the water usage and where the fresh water goes from the Guadelupe River near the Aransas Refuge. A law suit, stating this mismanagement is directly responsible for the loss of 23 Whooping cranes last winter, is pending. Learn more in Whoopers Happening #57, which will be posted in a week or two.

I know that many of the craniacs and others who now support the program, under the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership, which Operation Migration is part of, came to know and feel concern about these birds from the loss of the Class of 2006. This was their legacy as Joe Duff stated (included as part of the current podcast) and in that respect, and as birds that showed individuality and independence as all Whoopers do, they will be remembered as an important part of the work that continues.

Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

PL — 2010-02-02T21:24:23Z

Mark, I hate the idea of WH going away, but understand you have good reasons. Is there any archive of all the work you have done for the "whooper broadcasts"? Was looking for your Xmas 'cast of a year or two ago, with the cranes singing. That was a classic. It would be a shame that none of your work will be found.

A 'classic', huh? Hopefully you have it in a different light from say Dion and the Belmonts, Blood, Sweat & Tears or even anything by The Four Seasons? Hmmmmmm... some things are best not being found! But that thing was fun! Thanks. Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

Kathie — 2010-02-02T17:12:31Z

I am one of those people who was only vaguely aware of OM before the tragic loss of the class of 2006. Reading about their story and the story of OM moved me to immediately become a member and a mile maker. More importantly it has led me to spread the word about OM through my art.

I am hoping that Kathie will share a little about her artwork... maybe an image or two with us. While WH will come to an end soon, I would love to be able to display her work on a future 'best of' podcast, as there will be 6 between now and May.

Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

Marsha Lynn — 2010-02-02T11:02:39Z

Hello mark, Glad I read your comments to Trudy before listening to this whoopers happening. This way I had a another way to look at the event. Whenever I see the 2006 class & Bev in the same sentence I get the tissue box! I put off listening for a while. Like you said lessons were learned from this tragedy. That is the only comfort . We cannot forget the 2006 class or the people lost in the storm. Thanks Mark, MLW

Marsha,

I awakened Joe Duff at home that Saturday morning, and I have no doubt he was awake all that night. Someone had sent me an e-mail which I just didn't believe, and I had to know what they were talking about! The announcement came at the end of the WCEP meetings in New Orleans, and the entire team was in shock. The meetings quickly ended and all went home. I think all were in a suspended state of disbelief. While these biologists are doing a job and may at times seem hardened to what they see or say, I know many wept and hugged each other, as a sense of helplessness overcame them. Nature is a force we cannot do more than cope with. The one thing Beverly Paulan said just recently is she never expected to feel the sensitivity and love for these birds that she immediately had when she started working in June of '06, with the Class of 2006. She was a 'stalwart and detached, clinical biologist' who had worked with predators, and was going to do a job and not be emotionally involved. That did not happen. I dare say, if the distance all of us have between these birds does not detach us, it surely makes those who work with them all the more bonded and caring, and they are emotionally attached to each of them. I doubt any of us could avoid it if we truly care and are... human!

Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

Abby Studnicka — 2010-02-02T04:17:52Z

The memory of all of them must remain alive in us. They taught us about love, devotion, grief and the power inside all of us to transform our grief into something positive and to see the good in people. Thank you for including us in the podcast. That is one of those days those of us who were connected to the cranes, in whatever way, will never forget where we were when we heard the news. I am happy you brought it up and reminded me of the power people have when they believe strongly in something and dedicate themselves to it. It is a lesson I hope my girls will remember. The existence of the cranes had meaning far greater than many people realize.

Thank you Mark. I hope you are well.
Hope to see you again!
Peace.............
Abby

Comment on Whoopers Happening_Remembering the Class of 2006

trudy — 2010-02-01T21:58:51Z

Why keep dragging up this misery?

Trudy,

I don't see this as 'dragging up misery' as this is more celebrating the birds in the short time they were a part of this work. It makes them a part of what matters, and gives meaning to what happened. Also, their fate made the project more solid and revealed some aspects that needed improving. Remembering the Class of 2006 is far from 'misery' as you state... it is making the most of what they meant to so many that they touched and giving meaning to their tragically short existence. Human lives were lost that same morning, and we celebrate the memory and existence of all those we love who are no longer with us. No animal or bird can compare to the value of any human life, but far from misery at their loss... I think remembering them as I and many do, proves that something good can be found even in the darkest and saddest situations. So much effort, time and resources were invested in those birds. I believe it all meant something, and far from misery, we recall how they inspired and brought the message of conservation to many who would possibly never have listened or paid heed to such work. Even in loss, there is something gained!

Mark

Comment on Whoopers Happening_56 All Flown Home!

John Canter — 2010-01-20T19:51:01Z

Right on, Mark!!!

I spoke to an audience of 100 attendees at an Audubon meeting in Florida last evening and delivered essentially the same message that you have enscribed here ... namely that the objective of Whooping Crane conservation is not to fly birds from Wisconsin to Florida behind ultralights, but rather to build self-perpetuating, self-sustaining Grus Americana populations to complement the Aransas-Wood Buffalo flock.

Your challenge to the WCEP team to make THIS year THE year in which the TRUE purpose of this undertaking (sustainability), rather than the theatrical and aeronautical that have dominated the migratory reintroduction venue for the past nine years, could not have been more adroitly and forcefully stated. I applaud your position and your intestinal fortitude in challenging the Whooping Crane establishment.

I had written just a few days ago that your voice of wisdom will be sorely missed in the future as you fade out of the Whooping Crane reporting business. Your current podcast underscores most emphatically the quality of your work to which I had previously alluded.

Once more, all the best.

Catch the thermals of life, Mark.

John

Comment on Whoopers Happening_55 Hello Whoopers, Farewell Mama Crane!

Lynn Szepanski — 2010-01-18T23:20:13Z

I just wanted to wish Bev well in her new job in Wisconsin. My daughter was a pilot/wildlife biologist in Alaska and I know that she felt there was no other job that could possibly be as exciting, challenging nor as fulfilling. I hope Bev finds hers the same. And I also want to thank her for her years of dedication and hard work spent helping to raise the beautiful whooping crane chicks that we craniacs have grown to love and admire.

Warm regards,
Lynn Szepanski

Comment on Commitment...

Jane Maher — 2010-01-18T21:32:03Z

Hi Mark,

I've met you on the viewing platform at Necedah and listened with much pleasure and anticipation to your podcasts.

I am among many online chatters who have appreciated your hard work and professionalism in bringing so much color to our understanding of the effort to reintroduce the endangered Whooping crane to the central United States. I am a resident of Wisconsin.

Godspeed in your future work for the health of our planet.

Jane Maher