Whooper Country

It was an interesting last day of the trip (and am I glad I scouted Kevin’s dock in the daylight); Kevin had actually called me the day before (right as we were embarking on Cap’n Tommy’s boat, actually) to say that the forecast was for fog and then overcast skies, and did I still want to do the trip? Of course! I quickly told him I’d see him at six the next morning.

Had some time to explore before the boat trip, so headed for the first place on the list: Rockport Rookery. Siri led me to the back side of it (I was to find out later) which looked inaccessible, so went to the little nature park I passed on the way there, which happened to be Tule Creek Nature Preserve! That was a fabulous little place with lots of “nice” people taking their walks (met an especially friendly Beagle named Daisy); filmed waxwings and a Kiskadee with the Powershot, and added White-eyed Vireo to the trip list. At the turnaround point a guy walking behind me pointed out a deer, and I thought he was talking about the distant one on the golf course, but there was one right in front of me on the other side of the creek that I didn’t even see! Back at the overlook the photographer I talked to before heading down the hike-n-bike trail (who hadn’t seen anything) left too soon, because shortly after I set up, a group of four stags posed at the far end of the pond in wonderful light! In 15 minutes filmed a Mockingbird, an incoming Great Blue Heron, and finally a great video of House Wren before I left (the Marsh Wren still didn’t wanna play ball)!

Moore's Pond The next day was kind of a fun day, as it consisted of exploring hotspots where we might pick up rare and/or year birds. Unfortunately it was socked in when I left, but I still wanted to check out the spots in order. First on the list was Rattlesnake Point for the reported Mallards, and when I pulled up at the end the road, there they were! Unfortunately I assumed they’d stay put as I got The Monster out; I should have gotten an initial shoot out the window with the Powershot, as they booked the minute the Monster was ready to shoot! A pair of Mottled Ducks was there as well, and some Purple Martins gurgling in the fog was new for the trip! I gave it 15 minutes, then headed for the next stop, Port Bay Road, to try for the reported Nelson’s Sparrow. That was socked in as well, but at least the Long-billed Curlew and Ruddy Turnstone stayed put for hazy video! A Marsh Wren sang enticingly, but neither he nor the sparrow would pop up; at least got a couple of Savannah Sparrows out of it!

Whooping Cranes surrounded by Black-bellied Whistling Ducks  But what a day the next day!! It was still bitter cold with the wind, but at least it wasn’t raining! Went straight to Lamar, taking East Main Street (aka Park Road 13) all the way to the bay where it turns into Lamar Beach Road. Parking spots are few and far between, so when I came to a huge lot for a public boat ramp, I parked there, stepped out of the car, and couldn’t believe my ears: the Whoopers were bugling nearby!! Needless to say I got The Monster (aka the big Sony) ready post haste and double-timed it over to the Little Pasture, where two huge Whoopers were close at hand near the feeders! Talk about frame-fillers! When they saw me coming they very leisurely made their way to the famous 4th Street Marsh until they figured I was harmless, then gradually made their way back to the feeder! With them was a mob of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, several Coots, and even a Common Gallinule! Sandhills were also there, of course, and it was fun filming the two together to get the size difference!

(Note: the Whooper Country Adventure travelogues are taken from a personal journal I kept up while on a video shoot in the Rockport area, targeting Whooping Cranes. I've only included a few photos here; more photos - and video - will be available in the actual video series coming soon!) Added a handful of Rio Grande Valley birds to the trip list starting out and headed up US 77, stopping at the Sarita rest stop , and that worked out great, adding Brewer’s Blackbird to the list! Refugio was the convenient second stop, so we filled up, and headed on in to the refuge!