Observations & Assessments

Lindsay and Jeff filled our early days with training in the techniques we were to use to gather data on the whooping cranes: We would observe the cranes through binoculars and record their behavior every 15-seconds over 20-minute intervals. One or two volunteers were observers, one the timer, and one the recorder. At first, the team observed only one crane each observer, but by the end of the week we were assured that crane observation teams would be capable of observing 2 or even 3 cranes simultaneously. I liked the observer role best and could have observed 2 whoopers at the same time at the end of the week, but I never got the chance.

Sue, Mary, Ellie, Lindsay, and Dick observing cranes on the spit of land north of the boathouse; this is the area on which I and my team did a vegetation assessment later in the expedition. Photo Terri Tipping.

Our Crane Observations included noting and recording the following behaviors:

• Feeding/foraging — Any actions related to obtaining and swallowing food: pecking, scanning probing, head throw-back, searching with head lowered
• Comfort — Stretching, scratching, feather ruffling, preening
• Locomotion — Walking, running, or flying
• Interaction — Crane responding to an action of another crane, includes courtship and agonistic (aggressive ) behaviors such as stick throwing
• Alert — Erecting and stiffening of body and neck in attempt to locate source of threat; neck stretched up, head at alert
• Rest — Crane at ease, no movement and no body part active; neck relaxed “s”
• No Data (ND) — Crane is out of sight behind bushes or in a depression

We also recorded the following data with each observation:

• GPS Transmitter? Black prior to 2011; then colored with numbers; note with “GPS (color/number)
• Leg Band? Note leg (R or L) and colors, beginning with top band color; use A=Aluminum, B= Blue, BK= Black, G=Green, R=Red, W=White, Y=Yellow

Note the yellow-over-red leg bands on the adult in the center.
This photo was taken by Terri Tipping,and and those below by Mike Brady when the cranes got too close and the team was pinned down for a period. More about that later. If one were recording the behaviors of this family, the one on the left would be C, Comfort because it is preening; the one in the center is at A, Alert; and the youngster appears to be A, Alert, also and looking toward Terri. 

Sneaked shot of whooping crane calling when team was in lockdown; Photo Mike Brady

Youngster (brown head) and adult; Photo sneaked by Mike Brady when his team was in lockdown

With each 20-minute observation period, the Observation Team also recorded the following: 

Date, Site, Observers, Wind Speed (m/sec)/Direction, Air Temperature, GPS Coordinates (N, W), Range (in meters), Compass direction/heading, Habitat type (Saltmarsh, Upland, Urban), and the total number of cranes present at the time of the observation.

We volunteers were divided into two teams each morning and afternoon. One team went out on the boat and observed the cranes in the territories they had established along the inland waterway and off the coast of Aransas NWR (Rattlesnake Island, Ayres Island, Sundown Bay, Dunham Bay, etc.). The other group observed the cranes in their territories near the boat house. Lindsay trained here on the techniques for conducting survey and observations also. Those on land in the morning usually opted for the boat in the afternoon and vice versa. We ate our lunch sandwiches from a cooler in the boathouse.

Mary, Ellie, Jean, Jeff, Terri on the inland waterway; that's a barge and tugboat in the distance; Photo Mike Brady

A boat team on one of their runs; Jeff with thumbs up; Photo Mike Brady

Jeff out of the boat and in the marsh preparatory to gathering data; he and we Earthwatchers had special permission to conduct our research in the Refuge; Photo Mike Brady

When the cranes moved far enough off areas where we had observed them, we then went into the marsh to conduct ecosystem assessments of vegetation and water quality where the cranes had been.

Terri and Jean measuring off a section for vegetation survey; Photo, Mike Brady

Mike recording data gleaned by Earthwatchers; Photo Mike Brady

When conducting a vegetation survey we counted the number of red and green wolfberries, the number of blue crabs, and measured water depth, temperature, salinity, and conductivity. Below are photos of the wolfberry plant/berries, blue crabs, and other flora of interest in ANWR.

Wolfberry, raccoon eating wolfberry, and blue crab in defensive posture. These crabs are a favorite food of whooping cranes, but  pack a powerful pinch. Jeff and Lindsay had a photo of one attached to a Whooping Crane’s tongue. Ouch!! It is interesting to note that the salt marsh wolfberries are Carolina Wolfberry (Lycium carolinianum) not the better known Lycium Chinensis, native to China and known as goji berry. 

Top left clockwise: Yaupon; unknown species of grass, mangroves at water’s edge (Jean’s photo); prickly pear
cactus nearly smothered in greenbriar, There were little bluestem grasses also and large yuccas just beginning to
send out their flower spikes.

Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) is a prevalent tall shrub in the Refuge. Its scientific name is unattractive (understatement). Native Americans used the leaves and stems to brew a tea, commonly thought to be called asi or black drink for male-only purification and unity rituals. The ceremony included vomiting. Europeans incorrectly believed that it was Yaupon that caused the vomiting; thus they saddled the plant with its very unappealing Latin name. 

Close-up of a blue crab that pinched Mike Brady on the delicate webbing
between thumb and forefinger; Photo Mike Brady