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April 12- 2 individuals seen in flight 1.5 mi east of Overton Bridge; <br />April 13- 2 individuals seen in flight SE of Elm Creek bridge; <br />April 17- 1 individual seen roosting near Sandhill Cranes on Shoemaker Island. <br />A follow -up of the first 5 sightings by the ground crew could not confirm the presence of <br />whooping cranes. A follow -up was not immediately conducted on the April 17 sighting; <br />however, a search at mid -day did not result in a confirmation of a whooping crane. In <br />addition, several on ground follow -ups of reports by the air crew were conducted, and the <br />presence of Great Egrets, Snow Geese, albino Sandhill Cranes, and white trashbags was <br />confirmed, but no whooping cranes were observed. <br />The fall 2001 survey consisted of early morning aerial flights made along the river from <br />October 17th through November 10th. A total of 41 flights were completed: 19 in the west <br />and 22 in the east. One whooping crane was sighted from the air near Rowe Sanctuary. <br />There were reports of other whooping cranes sighted in the area from other sources; these <br />reports are on file with the USFWS. <br />Whooping Crane Detection Trials <br />Detection trials were conducted during the 2001 surveys by the Platte River Cooperative <br />Agreement. No data or reports prior to 2001 could be found related to using painted decoys <br />as part of a whooping crane detection trial. The protocol "Monitoring whooping crane <br />migrational habitat use in the central Platte River valley" to be used during the Cooperative <br />Agreement and Program includes a whooping crane detection trial section. For the trials, <br />decoys painted to look like whooping cranes were placed at random locations on accessible <br />lands. Whooping crane survey crewmembers were then tested on their ability to detect the <br />decoys during their systematic aerial surveys. See the above protocol for a complete <br />description of the methodology used for the detection trials. <br />In spring 2001, thirty -two whooping crane decoys were placed at a number of locations from <br />April 17 -30. The air crews recorded decoys on 9 mornings at 17 locations for a 53% success <br />rate. They reported that Great Egrets and White Pelicans were often sighted near the decoys. <br />In fall 2001, the detection trials resulted in a 45% success rate for decoys placed in the <br />channel and 20% success for decoys placed in upland areas. <br />Migration Stopover Habitat <br />Habitat types Used / Vegetative Cover <br />Whooping Crane Use Site Data <br />Characteristics of whooping crane use sites within the Platte River Critical Habitat Corridor <br />have been documented since 1966. The data provided and summarized in Table 5 includes <br />channel width, water width, percent wetted, percent of water width < 0.7 ft, approximate <br />visibility upstream and downstream, and the flow (cfs3). <br />Draft Baseline Report — Whooping Crane Section <br />