Birders flock together

By now, you’ve probably seen a bunch of people walking around town wearing funny hats, sensible shoes and binoculars around their necks.

They’re bird nerds – or nature nerds – and they’re here for the Whooping Crane Festival.

I mean that in the very kindest way. Some of us who live here 24/7/365 fail to appreciate the beauty around us, and these lovers of birds and all things natural remind us that we do, in fact, live in Paradise.

The Whooping Crane Festival is four days of intense appreciation, not only of whooping cranes, but the wildlife that surrounds us, whether birds, fish, flora or fauna. They’re here to soak it all up.

Just because we live here doesn’t mean we can’t join in all the nature games. The Civic Center is a free walk through a shopping mecca that features jewelry, pottery, clothing and more, most with a nature theme. It’s a juried show, so the quality is top-notch.

Tours are offered via boat and bus to view birds that live or winter on the Port Aransas beaches and back bays, and you can see aquatic life on the boat tours. Of course, there are tours to see the whooping cranes at the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

These have proven so popular another one has been added.

Also, experts on birding will give talks in lecture rooms and the auditorium at The University of Texas Marine Science Institute here.

Part of the fun is just rubbing shoulders with other birding and nature enthusiasts. Their excitement is so contagious that even if you’re just mildly interested in birds, you’ll be tempted to pick up a pair of binoculars and head for one of our birding centers or the beach.

So, come out to the Whooping Crane Festival. I bet you can find a great hat and a pair of binoculars to get started on your new hobby.

And, welcome birders. We’re glad you’re here!

Mary Henkel Judson is editor and copublisher of the South Jetty. Contact her at southjetty@centurytel.net, (361) 749-5131 or P.O. Box 1117, Port Aransas, TX 78373.