Although we knew mid-August in south Texas wouldn’t be the most ideal time for birding (!), we took a 2-day trip from our kids’ home in Houston to Aransas, a remote and wonderful 59,000 acre National Wildlife Refuge along the Gulf of Mexico.
Aransas’ bays, fresh and salt water marshes, savannas, sloughs, and woodlands boast 165+ species of wildflowers, scores of butterfly and dragonfly species, and a diverse range of reptiles, amphibians, crustaceans, and mammals. Aransas is a major stop for migratory birds along the Central Flyway of North America.
Established in 1937, Aransas NWR is probably best known as “the winter home for the only wild flock of whooping cranes in the United States.” The current total WORLD population Whooping Cranes is only about 600!
On the brink of extinction in the mid-20th century, Whooping Cranes are coming back slowly due to decades of concerted recovery efforts (National Wildlife Federation).
Whooping Crane – public domain image
One of the rarest birds in North America, they are also “the tallest bird in North America, standing nearly five feet tall, with a seven foot wingspan.” To learn more, click here. The best time to see the Cranes at Aransas is late fall – winter.
We didn’t see the Whooping Cranes on this short, HOT summer trip, but the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is clearly a very special place to which we will surely return.
It looks like a marvellous spot. Oh, to see one of those whooping cranes…
I really hope to get back there this winter so that we can see them! We had no idea how rare they are till we learned more about them at Aransas NWR.
Great post on Aransas, BJ. I have never been there but have heard nothing but rave reviews. I hope to visit one day, but until then, I very much appreciated this informative overview.
It’s really a great spot, Jet, despite the fact that we arrived mid-day at probably the worst time of year for birding ;-D. We look forward to returning! Hope you get there, too.
Sometimes travel takes us to these places in the less-optimum time of year, but the important thing is, we’re there. 🙂
So very true, Jet! Well said!
Thanks BJ looks like a place we would love to visit birding. Very interesting about the Whooping Cranes, so good that they are being conserved and coming back in number:-)
Yes, it’s quite a remarkable success – according to Texas Parks & Wildlife, “As many as 1,400 whooping cranes migrated across North America in the mid- 1800s. By the late 1930s, the Aransas population was down to just 18 birds.”!!
Great place. Great post. I can’t wait to see the winter migration.
The Whooping Crane population is a shocker.
Thanks, BJ.
I had no idea these birds were at such great risk till we went there. Maybe we’ll make it one day to the annual Whooping Crane Festival (http://www.whoopingcranefestival.org), that takes place in February, hosted by various sites along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.
So tall!!!
And you should see how they look when they dance! 🙂 Can’t wait to see one “in person.”
Great captures, Bj! We were there in March, it was a wonderful birding experience. 🙂
Oh then you probably saw the Whooping Cranes, Amy?!
It’s interesting to hear how many people are familiar with Aransas. We’d never heard of it until a few weeks ago. Eager to go back sometime in the winter or early spring.
We saw three in a group from a distance, I didn’t get good pictures.
And, they were chasing egrets away.
Sure you saw far more variety, and far more birds than we did in mid August 😊
Lots of egret and white, Pelicans…
Such a beautiful place. We have whooping cranes near us at the Necedah Wild life preserve. I think they were the ones that started leading the cranes to Florida with an ultra light plane.
Wow, I’ve never heard that story! Where is the Necedah preserve located?
Central Wisconsin. It was big news around here several years ago. Google ‘whooping cranes Necedah, Wisconsin.
I found several articles online about this, thanks for bringing it to my attention Teri!
You’re welcome. Glad you enjoyed them
It sounds like a fabulous place.
It was a real treat to discover, Connie, and we look forward to returning there one day.
I hope your recovery is going smoothly and that you are feeling well!
Doing much better. I’ll be back posting next week. Thank you for asking. 😀
So glad to hear ~
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Trying to catch up on your blogs, I was excited to see Aransas in your post title! We have reservations at a campground on Mustang Island at Port Aransas for early 2017, and I’ve already been scooping out Aransas NWR. If I should get so lucky to see the Whooping Crane, let alone photograph one, I will be a happy camper! 🙂
Sounds like you will probably be there at the right time of year to see the cranes. We are planning to go back sometime in early 2017 also. Quite a story!