We Specialize in Whooping Crane Photography Tours
Photograph whooping cranes and shorebirds on this morning tour that takes on the Intracoastal Waterway and along the Aransas Wildlife Refuge.
Join us for an afternoon birding tour. Cruise the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge by water to see Whooping Cranes, Shore birds, wading birds, dolphins and some awesome sunsets!
Share a Charter and save some money!
Photograph whooping cranes and shorebirds on this morning tour that takes on the Intracoastal Waterway and along the Aransas Wildlife Refuge.
We offer one-of-kind photography tours. Our charters are custom-designed to fit your group, and our boats are uniquely designed for photographers. The Jack Flash has three different decks at separate elevations to give you the angle of your choice. The Lady Lori has two decks at different elevations.
Another great feature of both boats is they have enclosed cabins so you can take a break and relax out of the elements. The absolute best feature is the true shallow draft capability. We are able to float at a depth of 10 inches and can motor at 18 inches.
This allows you to get really close to the birds. It is not uncommon to get within 50 feet of whooping cranes and even closer for most shorebirds. Your tour begins at the Sea Gun Marina, located on the Lamar peninsula.
“We did a 6AM to 11AM boat tour with Lori. She was awesome! Very knowledgeable about birds, able to spot them from a distance and identity them for us while captaining the boat. Did not rush, let us enjoy the birds for as long as we wanted, answered all our questions. Equipped with spare binoculars, coats, hand warmers, picture guides for easy identification. Totally awesome experience. Highly recommend it.”
“I have taken several trips with Capt. Kevin and Capt. Lori Sims and they never disappoint! As anyone who photographs wildlife knows, it’s always a bit of a gamble on whether or not you’ll see anything, but they know where to look and have always provided me with great photographic opportunities. They obviously love what they do and love the area and it shows! Thanks for a wonderful trip.”
“Aransas Bay Birding Charters offers excellent birding trips to see the endangered whooping cranes in the winter months and to rookery islands in the spring. With boats designed to get in close and the experience and knowledge of Captain Lori and Captain Kevin Sims make for an outstanding adventure. Highly recommended.”
“This trip far surpassed any expectations! We saw over 20 Hooping Cranes plus a plethora of other birds. This is a local company run by a husband & wife. They are so knowledgeable about the behaviors of the local birds. We saw over 30 species. It was such an enjoyable trip and one I would do again!! Can’t go wrong with this company!!!”
“We had an excellent time photographing the Whooping Cranes up close without disturbing birds which means a lot to me. We were able to observe from a distance that allowed us to capture great photos. Such a magical experience to be able to see and get such great shots. Will definitely go again! What a great day.”