Contact us for more
information: 361-727-0730
|
Meetings are held September through June
- on the 3rd Thursday
of the month at 7p.m. Location: The
Women's Club in
Downtown Rockport,
next to the Chamber of Commerce.
Call 361-727-0730 for more
information.
and to receive our
monthly newsletter to learn more
about our meetings,
presentations & guest speakers,
and schedule of
educational field trips.
The Aransas Bird &
Nature Club is a local, grass-roots organization dedicated to the
effort of improving our stewardship of the natural world entrusted
to our care, with a special interest in ornithology.
The club accomplishes this goal
by
increasing local awareness of:
-
The
natural world with a monthly meeting & field trips
-
By fostering birding with the
community
-
Providing a positive force to
protect birds and preserve habitat
-
Ready to assist other
local/national organizations to further conservation efforts
Bird watchers are some of the most
affluent travelers in the world.
|
|
About Our Rockport, Texas Local
Birding Club Members:
From salt marsh to grassland to oak woodland,
anytime is a great time for birding in Rockport, Texas!
Considered by some as a sport - the
watching, listening, and marveling at the colors, shapes, sounds, and antics of
birds is quickly becoming a popular sport in America. When patience and
time are given, people of all ages are finding out that "birding" provides a
grand reward in a scenic and natural setting.
You cannot always identify a
"birder." Typically they have on plaid, flannel shirts, khaki walking
shorts, multi-pocketed vests, hiking boots, and usually an expensive pair of
binoculars hung around their neck. In order to keep track of their bird
sightings they set-out with their trusty pencils and paper in hand, devotedly
determined to find new birds to add to their life lists. This "life list" takes
on a whole new meaning to professional bird watchers in that they are anxiously
awaiting a rare sighting, and occasionally, a rare bird spotting can be purely
accidental. Right time, right place!
After a sighting, these well
informed and focused individuals experience a sense of accomplishment in that
that may be the one and only time in their lives that they will ever see that
bird. That's why it is appropriately called the" life list." Walking
through the halls of Mother Nature at a slow and observing pace, they keenly
explore birds in their habitats and learn about the habits, food preferences,
mating rituals, how they raise their young, and much more. Birders exhibit
their love of nature on its own terms. They are a quieter folk and
dedicated to the preservation of our land and all of the abundant resources that
lie therein. Although some choose to do their birding by car, the majority
prefer to commune with nature more intimately; up close and personal!
Along with the extraordinary
migratory birds seen predominantly from September thru March, Rockport is host
to over 500 species year round; these birds call Rockport, Texas - Home!
With the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge being the exceptional birding
spot of the county, don't overlook the many other great birding spots: Rockport
Beach Park, the marshes at Cove Harbor, Connie Hagar Wildlife Sanctuary, and
Copano State Park, to name only a few. There are many more, so please see
our
Birding References and Resources
page. Also take a look at our "Birding
Calendar" page so you can
attend the many area birding events, classes, and field trips that our local
groups offer.
Commercial
Birding and Nature Tours
are available for birders, painters, and amateur/professional photographers
alike, because many of the birds, especially the whooping cranes are seen much
better by boat, than by land. One of the best ways to view
the birds, especially Whoopers, is from a boat in the Intracoastal canal.
From early November through early April, bird touring boats from across the area
cruise past tidal flats and salt marshes where many species may be seen. Fares
vary. In recent winter months, over 17,000 people took birding boat
tours, so you may seriously want to consider hiring a "birding boat guide" for
the best possible bird sightings ever!
A word about conservation: "All wild
creatures must have a place to live. As civilization creates cities, build
highways, and drains marshes, it takes away, little by little, the land that is
suitable for wildlife. As wildlife's space for living dwindles, the
wildlife populations themselves decline." (Rachel Carson, chief editor for the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife, 1939-1952.)
|