The International Crane Foundation is in Baraboo, Wisconsin -- about 45 minutes out of Madison on the way toward Minneapolis. These folks sponsor projects that protect whooping cranes from extinction. About half an hour up the road from the ICF is the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge where work is going on right now training this years young whoopers to follow an ultralight on the migration path south (to San Padre Wildlife refuge, I think). Anyway, this is fascinating stuff and if you have a chance to check in with these people you might be rewarded by a look at these huge primitive cranes in flight.
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