IN SEARCH OF THE ELUSIVE WHOOPING CRANE

By Craig Hurst

Why Whoopers ?

Well, of the fifteen species of cranes found worldwide, Whooping Cranes, or as they are affectionately called “Whoopers,” are the rarest crane species. Not only are they the rarest species of cranes in the world, they are one of the rarest species of birds period, in North America. So, for birders, that makes the Whooping Crane a prize worth seeking. Birders are always on a quest to add to their “life list.” It is a bit like coin or stamp collecting. The rarer the coin or stamp, the more value attached to it.

Jennifer Ackerman, in a 2004 National Geographic article, refers to cranes as “the tallest and most elegant of flying birds……. beloved for their grace and beauty.” In North America, the Whooping Crane is the tallest bird on the block, up to 1.5 metres tall; that’s almost five feet tall!

The Whooping Crane’s special status in the birding world is not only attributed to its rarity and stature. There is something else that makes this bird so very special. Like the Phoenix, the legendary Arabian bird that arises from the ashes every five hundred years, the Whooping Crane has risen from the brink of extinction. The North American Whooping Crane population got as low as 21 birds in 1941! This population consisted of 16 birds in the natural wild flock that still breeds in Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and another 5 birds in a non-migratory flock in Louisiana that died out in 1949. Assisted by conservation initiatives in both Canada and the United States, the Wood Buffalo natural wild flock has inched its way back to about 260 birds. Now that’s an accomplishment that deserves applause, when you consider the Whoopers were only 21 birds away from disappearing from the face of North America 70 years ago. Well done!

So, that’s the subject of our quest for the fall of 2009; to seek out and photograph the elusive Whooping Crane.

Saskatchewan is the most accessible natural setting in Canada to attempt to observe the Whooping Crane. It is their major stopover location during their four thousand kilometre migration journey from Wood Buffalo to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in southern Texas. Whoopers leave their breeding grounds in Wood Buffalo in family units (usually one young), or small groups of last year’s young, sub-adults and non-breeders.

The current year’s young birds are cinnamon and white as opposed to the white of more mature birds. The birds can arrive in Saskatchewan anytime from mid-August on, with the majority arriving after the first of October. Earlier birds are usually the previous year’s young or two year old sub-adults and failed breeders. They can stay from a few days to about a month, but most have left the province by the end of October. They don’t arrive in large flocks, but rather individually or in small groups of up to seven to nine birds.

Saskatchewan is a huge expanse of land. Fortunately, it does have a wonderful grid system of gravel roads giving access to most of the southern and central areas. The dust permeates everything! Obviously, with so few birds and such a large area of country

dotted with attracting marshes and grain fields, finding a Whooping Crane requires a good amount of time and luck unless you have a knowledgeable guide, and that was our real blessing for this saga.

Brian Johns worked as a biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service in Saskatoon and was Canadian coordinator of the Canada-U.S. Whooping Crane Recovery Team. Brian had been working on Whooping Crane recovery since 1981 and each spring, would fly to Wood Buffalo National Park to monitor their nesting and breeding activities. Brian was the Canadian guru of Whooping Cranes and here’s the “kicker;” a province of Saskatchewan website indicated a willingness on Brian’s part to assist people who want to observe or photograph Whooping Cranes. It didn’t take long to initiate a telephone

call to Brian and much to our surprise, he indicated he would meet with us when we arrived in Saskatoon and even accompany us for a day on our search for the Whoopers.

Understandably, our excitement and anticipation levels rose immediately. Instead of relying on our own resources, we were going to be accompanied by the foremost Whooping Crane resource in Canada. Wow! Brian had mentioned a possible early arrival of birds this fall due in part to a warm Canadian spring, so we made arrangements to meet him in Saskatoon on Monday, September 28.

We met at 8:30 a.m. in the hotel lobby and prepared to embark on our adventure. Two trucks, four adults, two toddlers and a Border Collie did not represent your normal group heading out to observe and photograph Whooping Cranes. We quickly worked our way out of the city and headed east on Highway 16, the Yellowhead Highway, towards an area with possible viewing opportunities, about only thirty kilometres from Saskatoon.

This is an area south of Highway 5 and north of the Yellowhead, and roughly bound by the communities of Colonsay, Meacham, St. Denis and Saskatoon itself. Brian said that quite often this area had birds, almost on an annual basis. It doesn’t take long upon leaving Saskatoon to be amidst prairie and marshes or sloughs, or ponds as we call them back east.

In addition to his years of observation and tracking, Brian had another resource to aid in his knowledge of whooping Crane sightings and locations. He had initiated a Whooping Crane Hotline ( 306-975-5595 ) for people to report sightings. We had called the hotline the day before, upon entering potential Whooping Crane areas, and found the person at the other end of the telephone to be very pleasant, and helpful, and willing to share information. The hotline was implemented to help keep biologists aware of Whooping Crane migration sightings and also to keep provincial officials aware of areas where Whooping Cranes and Sandhill Cranes were gathered together. There is a Sandhill Crane hunting season in the fall and although it is illegal to hunt Whooping Cranes, the hunting of Sandhill Cranes does pose a potential threat to the Whoopers. Even though the Whoopers are larger and predominately white compared to the gray of Sandhills, birds in flight in certain lighting conditions could appear similar for some hunters in the moment.

Whooping Cranes usually leave the shallow water where they sleep, around sunrise, and fly to nearby grain fields to feed. They may go back and forth during the day, or remain in the water area mid day and return to the feeding areas late in the afternoon.

After we exited Highway 16, it didn’t take us long before we spotted two large white images about six hundred yards across a grain field. We had binoculars, spotting scopes and telephoto lenses out of the truck and into use pretty quickly. We were all taken aback by the size of these two magnificent birds. Elaine said “ Oh look, they have young with them !” We then realized we were not looking at adults and young, but rather two Whooping Cranes in the company of some Sandhill Cranes. We were all familiar with Sandhill Cranes from our observations in Ontario and the Northwest Territories and were used to them being the tallest birds in the area; but this was no contest. The Whoopers towered over their “little” cousins by what appeared to be almost two feet!

Elaine was transfixed by the Whoopers’ long necks, and regal looking head with red face, which was very striking on a purely white bird. We watched them for about an hour as they flew on a bit to a nearby marsh area. We were impressed. Two of the rarest birds on the continent and it was only mid-morning. Kudos to Brian!

Just to complete the prairie image, in an adjacent field, we noticed a group of eight Pronghorn Antelope watching us, their tan and white coats blending in with the orange of the grain.

We then headed north toward Muskiki Lake, which has been one of a few traditional staging areas for Whoopers. We turned east off Highway 2, onto a mud/gravel type path, that took us to a highpoint lookout to scan the area around the lake. Having not spotted Whoopers, we headed back and eastward again through the little hamlet of Dana, complete with gas pumps from the 1930’s. Thinking back, I don’t know if in fact they were working pumps. Should have stopped to check it out and fill up if possible. It would have been cool.

We soon sighted two Whooping Cranes that quickly took flight. Brian believed he knew where they were headed. We cautiously and quietly made our way toward another small slough. Whooping Cranes are generally very wary of their environment. We had read that trying to get closer than four hundred yards would result in the birds spooking and leaving. They reportedly become more concerned if your vehicle stops, which we would have to do to

maximize our photo opportunities. As we slowly came over the hill toward the slough, we saw a number of Whoopers in the water on the other side of the slough, only about 300 yards away. Brian was right. They were here. In addition to the two birds that flew in, there were seven other birds for a total of nine Whooping Cranes, including a cinnamon and white juvenile. We had come upon a virtual treasure chest of Whooping

Cranes. Brian reinforced our great fortune by stating that it was very uncommon to find this many Whoopers together and so close. They were interspersed with a number of Sandhill Cranes, which just gave us a closer look at their very significant size difference.

Whoopers definitely rule!

We stayed in the vehicles, taking full advantage of this photographic opportunity. We just kept shooting. The cinnamon and white juvenile was absolutely beautiful, and almost the size of the parents. Brian believed that in addition to the two parents and the juvenile, we were seeing four sub-adults and two adults. So many birds all together and in one spot for us to experience was truly a special blessing. I had to remember to put the camera down occasionally, to let the scene and moments just sink in, rather than restrict my memories to the images through a telephoto lens, which has happened before. The images were further enhanced by a number of waterfowl sharing the slough, wonderful sunny conditions, and the boys and dog were being attentive but quiet throughout the experience.

At one point, I had what is probably an uncommon thought. Most comment on the elegance and statuesque appearance of the Whoopers and that is totally deserved. However, I was also struck by how tall, awkward and vulnerable they appeared with such height and so long a neck, all on such tall spindly black legs. They moved in a very stable and graceful manner though, lifting one leg or spreading their seven-foot wing spans with ease. Their movements were impressive for such a large bird constructed in such proportions.

It wasn’t long before the family of three with juvenile headed up into the wind and flew in unison. The remaining birds stayed, moving about in the shallows for about another 25 minutes. They moved about slowly, occasionally preening or extending a wing or two and usually walking upwind. It was wonderful to watch their pre-flight routine. They seemed to take turns practising leaning into the wind and then finally, as if the tower gave them their release, they all leaned forward into the headwind as would a fixed wing aircraft. Slowly and powerfully they started to flap their wings and lifted off,

much more like a group of 737’s than a group of F-18 fighters. They flew together and gained altitude gently, and soon were gone. We had just witnessed a group of wonderful creatures who had allowed us to experience and know them for about thirty minutes. We realized our goal in a wonderfully complete way…… and now it was time to let the kids and dog out and just stand around trying to verbalize the experience.

We then headed north of Saskatoon toward the Blaine Lake area including a cable ferry crossing of the South Saskatchewan River, which of course was a big hit with the boys. We spent the rest of the day checking potential Whooper staging areas from the Blaine and Redberry Lake areas to Radisson on Highway 16. We did not have any definite sightings but learned a great deal about Whooping Cranes from Brian’s ongoing commentaries.

While we did not find more Whoopers, the prairies and marshlands are filled at this time of year with hundreds of thousands of migrating waterfowl and other birds. We saw flocks of Sandhill Cranes numbering in the hundreds and one flock of approximately seventy Tundra Swans. Saskatchewan is located on the central North American migration flyway and it is said, that over three hundred and fifty bird species can be seen in the province. An average of 200,000 shorebirds, 400,000 ducks, 130,000 Snow Geese, 80,000 Canada Geese and 40,000 Sandhill Cranes stop over in the province during migration. We witnessed fields holding thousands of Snowgeese and other birds. As they lift from terra firma skyward, the sight and sounds are spectacular and we relived this spectacle throughout our travels. When you approach a slough that looks snow covered with only glimpses of blue, you realize you are looking at a gathering of hundreds or even thousands of Snowgeese, Tundra Swans and occasional Pelicans covering the water.

The sights and sounds of the fall migration in Saskatchewan are worthy of witnessing for any traveller, bird watcher or not, and the province offers many locations to experience this wonderful phenomenon with lots of available information including guided opportunities. Who knows, you too might even see a Whooper !

We shared dinner with Brian back in Saskatoon before bidding farewell and again expressing our gratitude for what he had provided. To reinforce how fortunate we were, the next day we retraced our previous day’s paths to catch another few moments with Whoopers, but found nary a Whooping Crane. We knew we would never reach a point where we had seen enough.

Upon our return home, people would ask if we saw Whooping Cranes, and how many did we see. When we would say we saw eleven Whoopers, we could sense people feeling unimpressed. However, when we explained that this eleven represented approximately five percent of this North American wild Whooper population, perspective was achieved.

We scored big time!