Whooping

No, I'm certainly not whooping for the Aggie football team after last week....

Donnice and I had some business to take care of in Rockport and I stayed over to meet up with Pedro and Spencer to photograph the whooping cranes. The weather was spectacular and the company even better. Kevin and Lori Sims at Aransas Birding Charters run a first-class boat charter. I've lost count over the years but I have used them 4 times now (I think). They are skilled at getting the boat close without disturbing the birds. These photos make it look like we were very close. Remember that we used long lenses and the photos are cropped to boot.

The early morning sunlight was just great to bring out the changing colors of the coastal waters foliage. These birds spend their summer in Canada and winters in Rockport. Other flocks travel to Florida while Louisiana has a small non-migrating flock. The total population of this very endangered species is around 600 birds. A full grown adult stands about 5 feet high with a 5-6 foot wingspan making them one of the largest birds in North America.

This first shot gives some perspective to their size and coloration as the crane takes flight.

One of their preferred foods is blue crab. This is a really large crab and had to be torn to pieces to be eaten. Smaller crab are eaten whole. This bird worked on this crab for a long time picking out meat until there was just the large outer shell left.



Stay in touch!
Doug White

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