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Whooping Cranes and Texas Coastal Birds Regional Event (December 3-6, 2024)

December 3 - December 6

Leaders | Travel & lodging | What to expect | Preliminary itinerary

Registration is now open

EVENT OVERVIEW:

Join Jennifer Leigh Warner for an exciting trip to photograph Whooping Cranes on the Texas coast. Whooping Cranes are North America’s largest bird and they remain endangered with fewer than an estimated 600 birds remaining in the wild.  Whooping Cranes spend the winter on the Texas coast at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.  This regional event presents a unique opportunity to get up to close to the birds via boat as well as photographing other Texas coastal birds like roseate spoonbills, brown pelicans, and more.

COST:
Early Bird Rate: $1265 NANPA & ASMP Members/$1465 Non-members by November 15, 2024

After November 15, 2024: $1365 NANPA & ASMP Members/$1565 Non-members

Price includes a private small boat charter on Aransas Bay.

Maximum number of attendees: 5 per boat

Last Date to Register: November 19, 2024

DATES:

  • Tuesday December 3, 2024 at 6:30 PM to Friday December 6, 2024 at 1 PM
  • October 22, 2024 6:00 – 7:30 pm (Eastern Time) Pre-Event Webinar for Participants (optional)
  • Dec 19th 7-9 pm (Eastern Time) (optional) Post event Image Sharing and Feedback Webinar for participants

Registration and Meet & Greet
Tuesday December 3, 2024 at 6:30 pm. Plan to have dinner on your own after the meet and greet.

©Jennifer Leigh Warner

WHAT TO EXPECT:

We will spend one morning on the water photographing whooping cranes and other shorebirds from a chartered small boat that provides the opportunity to get close to the cranes.  The charter boat captains are experts with the birds and have extensive experience working with photographers.  We will also visit “The Big Tree”, one of the largest Live Oak trees in Texas, which happens to be across from one of the Whooping Cranes’ hangouts.

We will spend another day on Port Aransas where the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center is the highlight with great opportunities to photograph pelicans, spoonbills, wintering waterfowl and other wading birds and shore birds, and their resident alligator.

LEADERS:

Jennifer Leigh Warner, featured speaker at this year’s Whooping Crane Festival, will be your leader for this event. If there are more than 5 participants on the event, David Cook will be added as a second leader for this event. Jennifer and David have led previous NANPA regional events together in Texas.

Jennifer Leigh Warner

Jennifer Leigh Warner is an award-winning wildlife, landscape and conservation photographer living in Central Texas and specializes in creating meaningful images that conveys a message of hope for the natural world.

Jennifer was elected to the NANPA Board of Directors in 2023 and has been serving as the Chair of the Ethics Committee since 2018. Jennifer is also a certified Texas Master Naturalist, an Ambassador for Nature First, a workshop leader for Wildside Nature Tours and a mentor for the non-profit Girls Who Click, which encourages young girls to consider a career in conservation photography.

She is a Nikon Professional and her fine art images have been on display in art festivals, galleries and museums throughout the United States. Her images have also appeared in the Namibia Expo 2020 Dubai and at the Climate Change Summit in Morocco in 2016.

Jennifer’s images and writing have been published in Outdoor California Magazine, Gizmodo, the NANPA Expressions Magazine, Outdoor Photographer Magazine, WIRED, The New Yorker, National Geographic Online and Wild Planet Photo Magazine among others. In addition to Jennifer’s photography, she is a public speaker, who has presented for Professional Photographers of America, NANPA and was the 2022 Keynote speaker for the Winter Wings Festival. Jennifer is deeply passionate about sharing the natural world with others and thoroughly enjoys teaching photographers how to create images that they can be proud to hang on their wall.

You can learn more about Jennifer and the conservation work that she does by visiting her website at www.experiencewildlife.com

David Cook-

David Cook began pursuing his love of the natural world through nature photography following a 30-year career as an IT Professional and educator. He is the NANPA Conservation Committee Chair and iNaturalist Coordinator.

David is an award-winning photographer whose worked has been featured in galleries throughout the US and was included in the Roger Tory Peterson’s Institute Inaugural Art That Matters To The Planet exhibit.  He is a Texas Master Naturalist, a Travis Audubon Master Birder and serves on the board of the Bull Creek Foundation in Austin where he leads photo walks for kids and adults.

His conservation projects include Loggerheard Shrike Monitoring with the Texas Parks and Wildlife, a Purple Martin Steward with Travis Audubon, the Fauna Survey at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center and Digital Camera Traps on Austin’s Vireo Preserve.

You can find him on Instagram at @davidjcook10 and on the Web at davidjcookphotography.com

TRAVEL AND LODGING

We will be based in Rockport, Texas during this regional event.

NANPA is holding a block of hotel rooms for event participants at a hotel in Rockport, TX at the following rates:

  • (7) King $99 per night + tax
  • (3) Queen $109 per night + tax

This rate includes a Complimentary Breakfast. All rooms include a microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker. Complimentary high speed & wireless internet access in guestrooms and lobby.

Hotel details and reservation procedure will be shared with registered participants.

The last day to register in the NANPA room block is November 18, 2024

NEAREST AIRPORT:

Corpus Christi International Airport (CRP) about 40 min drive to Rockport, TX

San Antonio International Airport (SAT), about a 3-hour drive to Rockport, TX

EVENT TRANSPORTATION:

Transportation to and from the hotel and during the event is not included and is the attendees’ responsibility. Car rental is available at the airport.

Car Rental:  A regular rental car will be fine; we will not be driving on roads that require extra clearance or 4×4.

MEALS:

All meals will be on your own with the exception of the final lunch which is included.

 

©Jennifer Leigh Warner

REFUGE PASS:

Anyone entering the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge will be required to have a pass.  If you have a National Park Annual, Senior, Military or Access Pass, this is accepted, so bring it with you. If you don’t have one, you’ll need to pay the entrance fee in CASH. $3 – one adult in a vehicle, $5 – two or more adults in a vehicle.

PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS:

Your leader is familiar with the areas that you’ll be visiting, and locations will be based on what’s most photogenic at the time, wildlife activity, weather conditions, etc.

Some of the locations that we will most likely photograph include:

  • Goose Island State Park: This state park is also a popular destination for cranes as well as other shorebirds and wading birds.
  • Port Aransas: Coastal birding at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, Port Aransas Pier, Charlies Pasture, and Holt Paradise Pond
  • Aransas National Wildlife Refuge: In addition to photographing the birds from the water, we will visit the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and photograph cranes and other wading birds from the land.

HEALTH AND FITNESS:

Please note a moderate fitness level is required.  Walks at parks and preserves may be up to 2 miles

WEATHER

Rockport is located on the Gulf of Texas and although you can typically expect sunny days even in December, the temperature, especially out on the boat can get very cold in the morning. The afternoons will warm up into the mid 60 so expect to bring lots of layers so that you stay comfortable throughout the day.

Average temperatures are listed below:

  • Average High 67 F
  • Average Low 49 F

CLOTHING

When you are out on the boat in the morning expect it to be very cold. You should plan to bring a hat, gloves, jacket and even a face buff. As the day warms up you will want to shed a few layers so be prepared to have a t-shirt on under your jacket. You will also want to have water-proof shoes, like hiking boots for walking on the beaches and marshes.

CAMERA GEAR:

  • Camera – DSLR or mirrorless, full frame or cropped sensor. Also, bring the camera manual should you need to consult it. Cellphone camera as backup is better than no camera and good for snaps of your group.
  • Lenses – There will likely be photo opportunities for your full range of lenses, from extreme wide angle to telephoto and macro. We will use lenses in the focal length range from 14 – 600mm.
  • Lens Cleaning Cloth and Wipes.
  • Tripod – Sunrise, sunset, twilight and nighttime light levels are too low to photograph properly without a sturdy tripod. A lightweight carbon fiber tripod with a ball head is recommended.
  • Memory Cards for 1/2 day to full day of shooting in the field.
  • Camera Battery Charger and Extra Batteries.
  • Sensor Cleaning Tools
  • Polarizing filter(s) to fit each of your lenses.
  • Neutral Density Filters, Graduated Neutral Density Filters
  • Shutter Release – You can use a locking cable release, a wireless remote, or the camera’s self-timer (except in BULB).
  • Rain Cover – For camera and lens protection
  • Laptop Computer – for downloading, processing and viewing your images.
  • Image Processing Software – Good choices include Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, or Elements.
  • Back-up device – Such as an external hard drive.
  • Flash Drive – For sharing images.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS:

  • Skimmer Ground Pod
  • Battery-powered Alarm Clock/Watch – In case cell phone service isn’t available. It’s better to bring your own alarm than miss a morning shoot!
  • Cell Phone
  • Water bottle/snacks/medicine
  • Energy bars or other snacks

Preliminary itinerary

Please note schedules are fluid due to weather conditions, recent wildlife sightings and other variables.

Tuesday December 3

  • “Meet and Greet” at 6:30 pm at the hotel’s breakfast room. The presentation will briefly introduce participants to Whooping Cranes and birds of the Texas Coast.
  • Plan to have dinner on your own after the meet and greet.

Wednesday, December 4

  • Morning and early afternoon – Whooping Crane Boat Tour on Aransas Bay (included in fee)
  • Late Afternoon – Rockport and Fulton birding spots

Thursday, December 5

  • Port Aransas – Take the ferry to Port Aransas in the morning and spend most of the day on the island photographing birds at the various locations on Port Aransas

Friday, December 6

  • Morning – Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
  • Hotel checkout at 11 am.
  • Final Lunch (included in fee)
  • The event wraps after lunch at 1 pm

GENERAL:

This event is designed for nature photographers at all levels of experience. For the best experience, please know your camera before you arrive, and bring your manual in case we need to look up something.

Assistance will be available in the field for those who wish to improve their photographic skills. If you already have plenty of photography experience, Jennifer and David will ensure you get to the best locations at the best times to capture those perfect shots.

Please keep in mind this NANPA Regional Event is designed to be a photo tour, not a photo workshop. In other words, there are no formal instruction sessions planned, there are no assignments, you will not be receiving any handouts or the like. That being said, your leader Jennifer and David have experience as a photography workshop leaders and are available to answer questions and give you guidance. If you need help, please advocate for yourself and speak up and ask for help – Jennifer and David are happy to help. Be aware that many of your fellow participants may also be accomplished photographers and may be able to help you too.  Part of the regional event experience is the camaraderie that comes from sharing experiences and lessons learned among participants. If you notice someone with the same or similar camera, perhaps they can help you with an issue you’ve been wondering about, and maybe you can return the favor.

Attendance and participation at NANPA Regional Events is limited to registered attendees only.  Anyone wishing to participate in any portion of, or travel with a registered attendee during the group event must contact the NANPA office and pay the full registration fee.

RESOURCES:

https://www.fws.gov/refuge/aransas

©Jennifer Leigh Warner

Regional Event Cancellation and No Refund Policy:  

NANPA will not offer any refunds for registrations for this event regardless of when the cancellation is made or the reason for the cancellation. NANPA reserves the right to cancel any event or activity due to insufficient registration or any unforeseen circumstances. NANPA will offer refunds if NANPA has to cancel the event. It also has the right to substitute presenters if those originally scheduled cannot attend. Registrants may purchase event insurance as part of the registration process through NANPA’s partner, Allianz. More information on this option will be shown during the checkout process for the event registration.

NOTE:  If you do not purchase event insurance at the time that you pay for your registration, you will NOT be able to go back and purchase it with Allianz later.

If you choose to purchase travel insurance separately, you can do so with your own insurance carrier, or NANPA members can receive a special travel insurance rate through USI Affinity/Travel Insurance Services

Details

Start:
December 3
End:
December 6
Event Category:

Venue

Texas
United States + Google Map

Other

USA States/Territories
New Mexico
Type of event
On Location
Cost range
$1265-$1465