Call of the Cranes

Dr. Wessling was born on December 15, 1951, studied chemistry and biology and received his doctorate degree in chemistry of natural products in 1977. After university, he worked as a researcher, chemist and entrepreneur developing and marketing new technologies, including more than 13 years in China. It is certainly unusual that he worked "part-time" (at his own expense) for decades in crane conservation and as an international recognised creative crane researcher.His research began not far from where he lived and worked near Hamburg. He was in charge of the crane protection in Hamburg's Duvenstedter nature preserve and the neighbouring Hansdorfer nature preserve, which belongs to Schleswig-Holstein. In both areas, he was an honorary "nature conservation officer" approved by the nature conservation authorities. More and more his work shifted to crane research, for which he developed a new method: sonagraphy, the analysis of the frequency spectrum of crane voices, which enables individual identification without banding. He also  more and more carried out this research in other areas in Germany and finally in Asia and North America. He became a worldwide sought-after specialist in sonagraphy not only for cranes. He was the only foreigner to actively participate in a key position in the world's largest and still ongoing project to release young whooping cranes reared in captivity in isolation, which were shown the way south to their wintering grounds by ultralight aircrafts, for which he developed the crucial communication technology.In his main profession he also worked in a very unusual way – he not only worked as an industrial chemist and entrepreneur in his medium-sized company, but also successfully carried out basic scientific research. The web pages at www.bernhard-wessling.com allow you to find more information about this (e.g. in which fields he did research and which scientific and technological breakthroughs he achieved), including all scientific and technical publications and his publications concerning crane research.

• Preface.- How everything started.- Compact crane knowledge: myths and facts.- Problem solutions, ballet courtship and fox alarm: how do cranes communicate with each other?.- Arrival in the nature preserve after return from wintering grounds: alone or in groups?.- Breeding season: a tragic romance.- Ruff, a white-tailed eagle and other visitors to the nature preserve: crane guards‘ amazing experiences.- The school of life.- Tracking the cranes‘ language: they are calling and talk about their lives.- Worldwide endeavors: Asian and American cranes are calling me.- Research adventures: overhear red-crowned cranes at minus 25 °C while guarded by armed border soldiers.- The adventure continues: visiting the wild whooping cranes.- We are taking off: the hard way to the migration flight school.- What can we learn about intelligence, migratory behaviour, culture development, use of tools and self-awareness in cranes?.- Can cranes think strategically? Other amazing observations.- Cranes are subjects. A plea for more modesty and respect for nature.- Appendix.