The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1941, is comprised of over 31,000 acres of saltwater bays, estuaries and brackish marshes at the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River in Florida. The refuge was established primarily to protect waterfowl habitat and is home to over 250 species of birds, over 50 species of retiles and amphibians, and at least 25 different species of mammals, including the endangered West Indian Manatee.

The Whooping Crane is the most famous endangered bird in North America. In part because it is large, distinctive, and photogenic and partly because, since 1967, Canadians and Americans have cooperated in a successful recovery program to safeguard it from extinction. Operation Migration is an organization that promotes the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnership. Every year, they leave Wisconsin and lead young whooping cranes to Florida behind an ultralight – thereby teaching them how to migrate. The birds spend the winter at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. When the weather is warmer, the cranes fly back to Wisconsin (or wherever they decide to go), on their own. For more information, go to Operation Migration’s website: http://www.operationmigration.org/index.html

The Annual Flyover Event at the Dunnellon, Florida, Airport was in January, 2011.  It is a spectable to behold to see these endangered birds fly behind these planes.  This was the final leg of their migration, and they will spend the rest of the winter at Chassahowitzka.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

 IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO SEE WHOOPING CRANES

 Pilot Richard van Heuvelen had one bird following him

Pilot Joe Duff had four cranes following him

There were a lot of people there for the flyover

 Nobody seemed to mind the freezing temperature -

it was worth the wait