Driving to Houston from Dallas today and saw a flock of 100 or more whooping cranes circling their way South. Google says they’re going to Aransas Pass.
Is there a particular area they favor?
Do they really make a “Whoop” sound?
Whooping Cranes have been spotted around Port Aransas area this past week- the Aransas Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas are a winter habitat for them-
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Are you sure they weren’t sandhill cranes? They look the same from a distance and the sandhills usually migrate down with the first couple of “real” cool fronts like we just had and are having another this week. It’s going to be in the 40’s here Friday morning. Sandhill Crane breast is awesome table fare, I’ll be shooting some soon. I’ve seen a lot of whoopers but never heard one make a whooping noise. Sandhills sound really neat, kind of like a trumpet and elk bugle combined.
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They were mostly white and reminded me of the American Pelicans that migrate to Florida. But that didn’t fit for where I was so I Googled. Colors didn’t fit Sandhills.
BTW
Abuela’s Taqueria & Papuseria in Wilmer, TX has excellent authentic Mexican fare for $.
Menudo and Sopa de Res on weekend!
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The entire whooping crane population is 800, so seeing 100 together seems very rare.
Maybe wood storks?
They tend to soar in circles. Not sure if cranes do.
They like marsh area like other Heron-type birds. They are loud and sound like an out of tune trumpet or something.
Sandhills are on this link as well.
Cranes ride thermals and let north winds carry them South.
The birds I saw were way too big to be wood storks.
After doing a little more Googling I think they were actually American White Pelicans that I initially though they were. I’ve seen a lot of them in Florida. Just didn’t think they would be in Texas.
I humorously called them “Repelicans” because they wouldn’t let brown pelicans come around them, and you never saw them looking for handouts at the fish cleaning tables. Jus Say’n.
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Yes we have resident brown pelicans and the whites migrate here. If you want to use pelicans to find fish watch the browns, the white ones just swim in circles. Browns will be on baitfish. I’ve found some of my best honey holes watching them.
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Careful, if you give away too much knowledge people will find Zephyr Cove! 
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Pelicans would make sense given the group size and time of year.
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There are no honey holes within a 100 mile radius of POC !!! In fact it’s full too many people. There’s no place to park at the ramps. And the tower boasts and duck hunters ruin it all this time of year!!! 
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You really aren’t lying!
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I figured you’d get a chuckle out of that one.
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