You know fall has arrived in Illinois when migrating flocks of birds move through neighborhoods and small towns in central Illinois. However, there are many more migrations of wildlife, big and small, all around us. Ants and mice attempt to migrate into our homes this time of year seeking warmer quarters. Deer begin to make subtle movements toward forest woodlots from more open areas in central Illinois.

A unique migration, which will begin on October 10th, involves a partnership of man and nature. A team of scientists from Canada and the United States is completing the training of 15 whooping cranes to migrate from Wisconsin to their new wintering grounds at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in central Florida. Scientists, using ultralight aircrafts, will be leading the cranes to their new winter home. Why go to all this trouble?

Whooping cranes are one of the world's rarest birds. In fact, the whooping crane population in the United States had fallen to 21 birds in 1941. The problem, scientists are trying to solve, is related to the fact that the entire wild migratory flock of whooping cranes existed within one group, which nests in Canada and migrates to Texas each year. Scientists are concerned that a natural disaster or other factor could eliminate the whole flock, by being located in only one place.

Therefore, they are attempting to reestablish a flock in the eastern United States, where they once occurred naturally. This would help reduce the possibility of losing all the wild whooping cranes, should a disaster occur to the western flock.

Scientists on the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin have raised the whooping cranes in the experiment from chicks. They have been extremely careful not to allow the cranes to see humans, so scientists working with the birds have worn costumes to disguise their human form. The birds are trained to follow an ultralight plane and are then led to the refuge in Florida.

The eastern United States reintroduction project which began in 2001 has been quite successful, as the eastern population now totals 69 birds. This year, the project's scientists plan to begin the migration using ultralight aircraft around October 10^th, subject to weather conditions and the readiness of the 15 whooping crane young they have been raising this summer.

New this year, residents of east-central Illinois will have an opportunity to witness this unique migration because the migration route has been moved westward. In past years, the migration path has only included the northern tip of Illinois. However, this year the planned route will go the length of our state, crossing over Livingston, Piatt, Cumberland and several other east-central Illinois counties.

If you would like to follow this year's migration and learn more about the project, check out this web site: http://bringbackthecranes.org. In addition to current project happenings, you can also learn about the project's history and how teachers and students are getting involved in bringing back the whooping crane population.

Stop and take time this fall to watch nature's migration, you might even see some whooping cranes. If you have questions or need more information contact the University of Illinois Extension Champaign County Unit office at 333-7672.