Whooper festival draws bird, nature lovers

White pelicans and caspian terns gather together. Bird and nature lovers will flock to the 14th annual Whooping Crane Festival (also known as the Celebration of Whooping Cranes and Other Birds) Thursday through Sunday, Feb. 25-28.

The festival offers guided birding and nature tours by boat and bus, photography workshops, fieldtrips, presentations by renowned nature experts, a trade show full of nature-related items open to the public, as well as musical entertainment and food.

The International Crane Foundation’s Children’s Art Exhibit will also be on display at the Art Center for the Islands, and tours of the Animal Rehabilitation Keep at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) will be offered for those who are registered.

Early registration begins in early December. The fee, to be announced, entitles registrants to hear all speakers and receive reduced rates on other activities, including boat and bus trips.

Roseate spoonbills search for food in a roadside pond. Admission to the trade show at the Civic Center is free

The festival spotlights the endangered whooping cranes that spend winters at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, about 45 miles north of Port Aransas. Fewer than 300 whoopers migrate from Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, to the ANWR each year. Even though their numbers are small, whooping cranes are easy to spot from tour boats departing from Port Aransas.

The winter months also are a great time to see many other species of birds that spend the winter in this area.

Speaker presentations will take place at UTMSI. Workshops and field trips will be held at various locations throughout Port Aransas. Watch the South Jetty for announcements of new activities being planned for this year.

For further information, contact the Port Aransas Chamber of Commerce-Tourist Bureau at www.whoopingcranefestival. org, or www.portaransas.org or (361) 749-5919.

The Whooping Crane Festival draws birders, ranging from the novice to the professional, to Port Aransas each year. Birding centers around the island provide easy access to excellent birding opportunities.