Randy(308) sent this article last week.

AUSTWELL - Endangered whooping cranes appear to be in the southern half of their migration corridor and could be arriving as soon as next Tuesday, a spokesman for the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge said.

The refuge has five birds at its Austwell facilities. Two of the birds stayed over the summer, said Tom Stehn, whooping crane coordinator for the refuge.

Two birds arrived on Oct. 16, and one came on Oct. 19. Stehn said two more were sighted in Matagorda Island Wednesday afternoon.

Arrivals are about a week behind schedule, Stehn said.

"This is very unusual," he said, adding that he would expect about 100 cranes to be there at this time of year. "I have never had a year with November hitting, and there aren't at least two or three dozen whooping cranes here."

Whooping cranes were spotted in the following locations:

Southeast of Fort Worth - seven on Oct. 28.

Ganado - two on Oct. 31.

Burwell, Neb. - five on Monday.

Near Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma - groups of four and eight on Monday.

Greenfield, Okla. - four on Monday.

Near Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge - two on Wednesday.