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See hundreds of resident &
migratory birds in Rockport, Texas!
Bird & Nature Tour Guides ~ Whooping Crane Tours ~
Photographic Opportunities
Rockport, Texas Birding Resources ~
Professionally Guided Birding
Tours by Boat or Land or Kayak.
GET READY FOR YEAR-ROUND BIRDING
ACTIVITIES HERE ON BIRDROCKPORT.COM!
All Photos Used with Permission. Kevin
Sims,
Aransas Bay Birding Charters.
Do Not Copy; No Reproduction.
BIRDING UPDATE
BY CAPTAIN KEVIN SIMS
CALL FOR BIRDING TOUR BY BOAT - ANY TIME OF YEAR:
361-790-3746
Visit both:
Aransas Bay Birding
Charters &
Texas Birding Photo
Birding by Boat ~ Trips to see Whooping Cranes ~ Birding & Photography Tours
A Word From the Captain!
Attention Birders and Photographers!
We hope you enjoy
our monthly news update for birding enthusiasts!
Each month we will try to provide the latest information on
the status of the Whooping Cranes as well as other birds and birding
opportunities in our area. Please check back each month to see what's
happening. If you have any information you wish to share or have questions
please contact me,
Kevin Sims, at 361-790-3746 or you can also contact
me via e-mail:
texasbirding@msn.com.
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White
Ibis
Breeding
Plumage |
Blue
Heron Chick
Stretching His Wings |
Roseatte Spoonbill at
the
Rookery Island |
Sandhill Cranes
Wintering at the ANWR |
White
Morph
Reddish Egret at the Rookery Island
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Photos are the property of Capt. Kevin Sims. Copying
of photos is subject to penalty by law.
SPRING MIGRATION IN
PROGRESS NOW!
Spring is in the air! And, so are the migratory birds! The Spring
Migration is in full swing. It is a wonderful time for birding in the
Rockport/Fulton area. The Whooping Cranes are still in Texas, preparing
for their migration to Wood Buffalo Park Canada, about 2600 miles north west of
here. As they prepare to leave is a great time to see them catching and eating
Blue Crabs. The fat from the crabs gives them the energy they need to make the
long journey home to their summer nesting ground. There are many ways to see the
Whooping Cranes and the migratory birds.
ONE IF BY LAND - TWO IF BY
SEA!
BY LAND
Goose Island State Park.
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/goose-island
offers wonderful bird walks You may get to see a Painted Punting. Also some
Whooping Cranes “hang out” there. A short drive and Ferry ride will take you to
Port Aransas. The birding center there will provide you with some amazing
birding opportunities. Check them out at
www.portaransas.org/play/birding. A thirty minute drive north of
Rockport on Highway 35 will take you to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge. They can be
found at
www.fws.gov/refuge/Aransas. You will see
all kinds of wildlife on a tour of the refuge. Everything from Alligators to
Whooping Cranes.
BY SEA
Take a trip on the water to tour the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
(ANWR) by boat. Three local tour boats leave out of Rockport, Fulton or
Lamar and you will get close enough to see the Cranes gobbling up their favorite
meal. It will be mating time when they return to Canada. From the boats there is
a really good chance of witnessing some courting behavior. The mating dance is
spectacular as they jump high into the air, trying to impress a potential mate
or their lifelong soul mate.
As you travel by water be sure to keep an eye out for the White Pelicans as they
Kettle, (soaring high in to the air in large circular patterns) searching for
that “magic carpet of air” that will carry them north as they begin their
migration. From the boats, The Skimmer and Jack Flash you also will have a
chance to visit Rookery Islands. These islands are home to several species of
migratory nesting birds . You will see the Great Blue Heron, Great Egret,
Reddish Egrets with the White Morph Reddish by their side, everyone’s favorite,
the Roseate Spoonbill. Night herons, Snowy Egrets, and White Ibis. On a couple
of the islands you will have a chance to see Oyster Catchers with their new
chicks.
The rookery trips last into early summer and give visitors an opportunity to see
the entire cycle of nesting! You can see the birds now as they build nests and
court their mates. Come back in a few weeks and see the new chicks soon after
they hatch. Come in early summer and see them as they learn to fly and forage
for themselves. You are up close and personal. As summer approaches you
will be treated to other Rookeries that have Tern, Gulls, Tri -Colored Herons
and Little Blue Herons., and Brown Pelicans. Traveling by boat into ANWR is
truly a magical experience that will leave you with a lifetime of memories.
For avid birders you will add to your “life list” on every trip. For
photographers you will get the chance to get those “once in a lifetime” shots
that you search for on every outing.
ROCKPORT BEACH PARK
The Rockport Beach Park is a delightful venue to see a nesting colony
of Black Skimmers, a really unusual looking bird. Take a drive around Little Bay
and view all the wading and shore birds as they forage for food in the shallow
waters.
FULTON BEACH ROAD
Fulton Beach Road offers fine dining at a number of delicious
restaurants - day and night! It also allows you to watch the pelicans as they
skim the tops of the waves. They make it look like fun. Stop by the boat ramps
and watch as the fisherman clean their catch. The pelicans will be there to
devour all that is offered to them. This makes for some fantastic photography.
And, a migratory group of white pelicans may be in temporary residence at
“Pelican Point” by the Fulton Beach Convention Center, otherwise known as “Paws
and Taws”.
DOWNTOWN ROCKPORT “BIRDING”
A birding trip to Rockport would not be complete without a trip to S.
Austin Street which is located in the 450 acre Heritage District. Downtown has
been undergoing revitalization and is a great walkable and bikeable community.
For birding enthusiasts, there are three stops that are mandatory! You can visit
the Studios of Diane Loyd, Salt Flats Photography,
www.saltflatsphotography.com Diane is an amazing photographer
and accomplished scuba diver with fantastic images taken on land as well as
under the water. Diane and her mother, Dovie, co own the shop, 4 The Birds.
Rockport’s best source for ALL your birding information. Dovie paints amazingly
beautiful birds (and fish) on hats, T-Shirts, jackets! It’s called “Wearable Art
by Dovie”. At 86, she’s still going strong. In addition, there are loads of
books on birding, plus ornaments, kites, flags. You want birds? Well, here they
are.
Next, stop by John Martell’s studio at 302 S. Austin Street at “Merchants
Square”. John is a local award winning photographer. He is expanding his space
into a Gallery of his images. Plan to walk through slowly. He is usually there
and will be glad to share his stories. If you are interested in adding to
photography skills, John also holds workshops to help you get the most from your
camera gear.
www.johnmartellphotography.com.
Finally, Ruben Aiken’s Sazon Gallery and Studio at 114 S. Austin Street
is an experience:
www.sazonandthewhoopingcranes.com Ruben
offers one of a kind jewelry he hand crafts himself. He is particularly noted
for his “soul mate” rings which feature gemstones and engraved whooping cranes.
Ruben is a Whooping Crane enthusiast, or as we local Whooping Crane lovers are
called, a Craniac.
(Author’s note: Each of these three studio/galleries has been profiled in issues
of Texas NOW a “Coastal Bend magazine” offering a “unity of communities”; as has
The Jack Flash charter boat. Go to www.texasnowmag
and see the issues on these studios and charter).
When you need a rest from all this “walkable birding activity”, Rockport, like
Fulton, offers superb cafes and restaurants. Stop in at Crazy Rusty’s Tropical
Bar and Grill for excellent soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches. Or Cindy’s
Sweet Tabu, where “Asian Cajun Fusion” takes first place: fried oysters that
melt in your mouth, Mongolian spare ribs that fall off the bone and much more.
Or The Daily Grind, the local “coffee house” next to John Martell’s studio in
Merchants Square.
MEMORABLE BIRDING
A birding trip to Rockport should be on every birders bucket list.
Rockport has everything you need for a memorable birding journey. We have
lodging available for every budget. The Restaurants cater to every taste. Bring
your families. There is something here for everyone. Our beach is perfect for
small children. There is the Maritime Museum
www.texasmaritimemuseum.org. Go by the Aquarium
www.rockportaquarium.com. And don’t forget to visit the
Rockport Center for the Arts.
http://www.rockportartcenter.com.
The Bay Education Center’s exhibits and shows showcase the water and estuaries
in the area; it is right next to the Blue Wave Beach. It opens at 1pm and has
shows at 2pm and 3pm (Tuesdays through Saturday) which focus on “SOS” Science on
a Sphere. A must see for all families. Thank You for visiting
www.birdRockport.com.
Please check back with us for any of your birding needs.
Photos are the property of Capt. Kevin Sims. Copying
of photos is subject to penalty by law.
Photos are the property of Capt. Kevin Sims. Copying
of photos is subject to penalty by law.
Captain Kevin Sims
Aransas Bay Birding Charters
Visit:
www.texasbirdingphotos.net
OR www.texasbirdingcentral.com
Phone: 361-790-3746
TPWD Certified/USCG Coast Guard
Birding by Boat ~ Trips to see Whooping Cranes ~ Birding & Photography Tours
Photos are the property of Capt. Kevin Sims. Copying
of photos is subject to penalty by law.
The best way to view Whooping
Cranes, Sunsets, and Wildlife is by Boat!
I offer a private tour for your group only. Visit my
website www.texasbirdingphotos.net
or call 361-790-3746. We will be on "your" schedule! You will travel to areas
inaccessible to larger group boats. Get there earlier, get closer and stay as
long as you like. Our tour takes a minimum of four hours. We generally stay out
six hours and have stayed a long as eight hours. For large-group boating
tours to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge visit Wharf Cat Touring Boat:
www.texaswhoopers.com
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