...at long last!!! [long commentary]

from the Whooping Crane Festival [held in Texas February 21-25 2013]:

* depicts my commentary within

The endangered Whooping Crane is the rarest of all cranes and among the oldest living bird species on the earth. By 1938, only two small flocks of cranes remained – one non-migratory and one migratory flock, which was found nesting at Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territory in Alberta, Canada in 1954. This is the only wild flock that returns annually in the fall to its winter home at the Aransas Wildlife Refuge in Austwell, Texas (approximately 50 miles from Port Aransas). *[A little over 70 miles from Corpus Christi, Texas - some areas the highway, highway #35 from Ingleside, Texas on, is okay, once you get off this road, the distance remaining is windy/quite curvy, and rough shell blacktop; somewhat hard on tires and alignment of your vehicle...proceed with caution, until you arrive at the reserve.]

Recovering from a low of only 21 birds in the wild in the 1940′s to around 600 birds today, the Whooping Crane’s recovery is one of conservation’s most inspiring success stories. Of the total birds, approximately 300 are in the migrating flock at AWR. Whooping cranes can mate for life and live to be 25 years old. Whooping cranes build “floating nests” that sit in shallow water six to ten inches deep and perform elaborate courtship dances and calls, including their loud unison call prior to mating. If successful, a pair will usually fledge two eggs per clutch, with only one surviving. Chicks are a cinnamon brown color and grow up to one inch per day during their first summer. Adult cranes are almost entirely white with the only non-white markings being their black wingtips and black facial markings, a bare patch of red skin on top of their heads and black legs and feet. Wingspans can be seven to eight feet with their weight averaging 15 pounds which makes them adaptable to flying long distances.

<><><>* * *<><><>

This past week, while talking with another avid birder at one of the local birding areas, he told me that there is a family of Whooping Cranes near Goose Island [about 35 miles from our home in Corpus Christi]. I was thrilled to know they had been spotted a lot closer to home. You see, for the past three years Bud and I have traveled about 200 miles round trip, over and over again during migration season for the Cranes here in Texas near Austwell, Texas...without having any luck in finding one without taking the boat tours out in the bay. I was always hoping high hopes against the odds of seeing some on land around the area. So, the following day, it was Valentine's Day, Bud and I grabbed the camera, binoculars, and car keys and headed to Rockport, Texas and over Copano Bay to Goose Island. The birder who told me about it gave me good directions on where to find them. We drove right to the exact spot. It was a vast field just off the shoreline of one of the bay's inlets. A huge piece of pastureland. We were warned that the area was private property, and completely fenced in. On the property, there was a man-made pond with reed/cat tails around one complete side. While we walked along the fenced in area, we saw no birds other than vultures high above us. We walked and walked and walked. Nearing the water of the bay, I spotted a couple of turkey vultures lazing in the warm sun. Keeping an eye peeled on the fields, still no birds. Until, Bud whispered to me..."There's some cranes Anni"!! I turned around and he pointed them out to me. A great distance away from us. About a football field's distance away from us at this point. I lifted my binoculars to my eyes, and viewed where he was pointing...no Whooping Cranes...but, Sandhill Cranes.

SANDHILL CRANES
photo taken: Near Goose Island - Rockport, Texas
Habitat Range:

The zoom lens on the camera, I was positive, would not be sufficient at such a long distance to get a good photo. But, I prevailed, and snapped a few photos in hopes that one or two would be okay to print out and share. The couple soon left and flew toward the north to a greener field long long away from where we were.

When we arrived at this area, it was about 8 a.m.....early. The earlier, the better chance of seeing bird activity in my experience. But, alas, no family of Whooping cranes. I began walking toward a nesting box out in the bay. I had spotted a Great Blue Heron there. But, as I was half way there to photograph that bird, Bud called me again. "Anni? Look!". By that time, I heard the birds. A loud, bugle call. I knew...Bud said: "Here come the Whooping Cranes!" By the time I made it to his side, the Cranes had landed in the field. But, again, such a far distance from where we had to stand to view them. No chance of getting a good close up. No way. Just too far away from where we stood. So, we just stood there, watching the trio through our binoculars and enjoying the time we were spending with the family. The mama, papa, and juvenile began making their way to a closer section of land...on the OTHER road. I suggested we hop in the car and get to the other road in hopes that I could at least try the zoom. And, hoping that they would still be there when we arrived on the 2nd road. They were, but they had circled around and were heading in the opposite direction. Parking the car on the shoulder of the road, adjacent to the barrow ditch, I hoped that any other farming vehicle, if they chanced coming down the very road, would be able to get around the car while I tried to photograph them. Watching them through the binoculars, Bud was, while I zoomed in on them. These photos are the best I could get, being that they were so far away...

WHOOPING CRANES
photo taken: Near Goose Island - Rockport, Texas
Habitat Range:

As they flew off over the tree tops jutting above, near another road beyond the pastureland, I was elated to have seen them, finally after years and years of hope, but still saddened that they left so soon. Oh, and after this, when we got home, I vowed to go out and shop for another digital camera that I could continue to just carry in my hand [without lugging the heavy tripod and detachable zoom lenses...too much time wasted with changing lenses and the weight having to carry a tripod. Never had this equipment, and don't want the cumbersome chore while walking long distances if needed, and enjoying the day as well as looking for that special bird.]. Yes, I bought another camera!! And I'm in the midst of learning how to operate it with all the gadgets. LOL