Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

I'm in Texas visiting my daughter. I took a trip to Aransas NWR, primarily to see if I could find some Whooping Cranes.

This place is on the Gulf of Mexico coast. I drove the long road to the end at the large viewing platform. There must have been a hundred vultures in the trees, and the platform was coated with vulture shit.

Black Vultures

There were lots of pelicans in the water, visible from the platform. No cranes. So then I drove the wildlife loop. There was very little action. I did spot this Kestrel, a new species for me.

American Kestrel

I reached the main road and headed back to the entrance. There were quite a few deer.

White-Tailed Deer

Driving along, I found this bird along the road, another new species for me. Its size and wing feathers remind me of ospreys. My wife says it has bad hair, like Donald Trump.

Northern Crested Caracara

And there was the occasional flock of White Pelicans circling.

White Pelicans

And I left, not knowing whether I'd managed to photograph any whooping cranes. When I checked my images on the computer, it turns out I did capture a pair at extreme distance.

Whooping Cranes

So, mission accomplished, but not exactly satisfying.