Cranes' arrival at mall delayed due to humid air

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 8, 2004

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CRYSTAL RIVER - Whooping crane watchers will have to wait at least one more day to see the birds fly over the Crystal River Mall.

According to officials with Operation Migration, the young cranes, which are learning a migratory pattern behind a ultralight aircraft, have difficulty breathing in humid air, so the birds will take only a short flight today. The birds are in Gilchrist County and will try to fly to northern Citrus County today. The flyover at Crystal River Mall, which would bring the birds from northern Citrus to their final destination - the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Citrus - would then take place Thursday. But stay tuned to www.operationmigration.org for updates: The birds require good weather both today and Thursday in order to make the Thursday flyover possible.