Day 14 Visit to The Whooping Cranes

WHOOPING CRANES AT ANWR

What a treat to see the World’s most endangered bird. As the tallest of the North American birds they are in their wintering ground between the barrier Islands of Texas and the Gulf Coast. Actually, we travelled on the Texas Intracoastal Waterway (TIWW), in order to see them. The Tour, aside from weather delays, was the first time it was delayed. The ship, a twin screw catamaran with 500 hp engines, got up on the plane easily and slowed just as fast. There is a "No wake" clause in the TIWW whenever other boats or ships are present. The late start today, however was due to a problem in the generator which was fixed and we left four hours late at 2:00 PM. That meant a later return but we were not in a hurry and it was a sunny, 60 F, day.
Exiting the large harbor at Rockport

White Tailed Hawk

We passed a number of gas wells and gas wellheads (collecting places) before we got to the Aransas NWR where the Cranes are feeding this winter. We saw a number of them and there are more than 250 this year as there were 38 live chicks that lived through the first winter. This is the best ever. You can learn more about the endangered Whooping Crane at; http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/ Basically, they need lots of space to raise their young especially the first year. They mate for life only after the first successful breeding of chicks. Hmmm! If not, they will try with someone else. Their dance is very important in the breeding process. The nest in Northern Alberta in the summer.
The TIWW was replete with barges that were hauling oil, diesel fuel and other miscellaneous cargo from the Gulf ports north. We passed four of them in that short two way, three hour tour. One was bound for Indiana. Deep hulled vessels cannot use this route as it is less than 12 feet deep in most places. Hence the barges are used which have a very shallow draught and

are pushed by tugs

The TIWW maintains a depth of 12’ but in some places is only 7 and 9 feet deep. See TIWW site at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracoastal_Waterway Those barges are 200 feet in length, can be pushed in tandem (sometimes as many as 8) and can ship as much material as 60 double bottom trucks, or 4 trains, for much less the pollution, and less waste.
But I digress, as the Whoopers were the main thrust of this day. The delay caused none of the 60 passengers to drop out, as they mostly all were retired and were on either a tour or vacation. We saw many other birds along the way and our “guide” filled us in on the NWR history at Aransas and the Whoopers.
Ruth and I saw more than 55 birds on Wednesday and that included; The Whooping Cranes and the Peregrine Falcon seen on a gas well head on the way back to port. Also new for us were; the Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Eurasian Collared Dove, Gadwall, Bridled Titmouse, Eastern Kingbird and the Pyroloxia. Some of these were seen on the “Break” while waiting for the ship to arrive. We don’t waste the opportunity to “do birds”. We have seen more than 120 to date. It was a great day, which ended for us with an “All You Can Eat Shrimp Dinner” at “Off the Hook” restaurant right on the Gulf. (Fresh from the sea!). Enjoy the pictures. –Love, Jim and Ruth