BirdFest Events
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| 10/16/2008 | ||
| Time | Event Details | Cost |
| 6:30:00 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 1. Fort Morgan Peninsula Trans Gulf Migration Flyway & Hummer Bird Study Group 6:30am-2:00pm Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch As a stopover on the Trans Gulf Migration Flyway, Fort Morgan been named one of the 100 Globally Important Bird Areas in the U.S. by the American Bird Conservancy. This trip will visit with the banding site of Bob Sargent and the Hummer/Bird Study Group, where the population and health of 2,000-4,000 birds of 85-90 species are banded and recorded over a two-week period each fall. You might experience the thrill of holding a migratory bird in your hand and releasing it into the air. The trip will also take in the extensive open areas and the shoreline of Fort Morgan Historical Park that are attractive to western strays and landbirds, passerine migrants, and raptors. On this trip, expect to see Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Palm Warbler, Yellow Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Gray Catbird, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Merlin, and American Kestrel. This trip has extensive walking in brush and sand and closed toe shoes are recommended. |
$40.00 |
| 6:30:01 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 2. Dauphin Island Trans Gulf Migration Flyway 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch Dauphin Island has been named the Birdiest Small City in the U.S. and for good reason - an information count in 2004 recorded 185 species. Located on the Trans Gulf Migration Flyway, Dauphin Island has been named by Wild Bird Magazine as one of hte top four locations in North America for viewing neotropical migrations. This heavy-walking trip will visit prime birding spots, including the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sancuary, the Airport Marsh, Shell Mound Park, rock jetties at Fort Gaines, and the Causeway. On this trip, expect to see Clapper Rail, Great Blue Heron, Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thursh, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Brown Pelican, and Black Skimmer. Expect to see Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Forster's Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull - and perhaps even bottlenose dolphins. |
$40.00 |
| 7:00:00 AM - 3:00:00 PM | 3. Mobile Bay/Dauphin Island Sea Lab Research Vessel A.E. Verrill Cruise 7:00am-3:00pm Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $45 - includes lunch This trip provides a unique opportunity to view gulls and pelicans up close as they follow the Dauphin Island Sea Lab research vessel, the A.E. Verrill, a 65-foot, diesel-powered, steel hull boat on Mobile Bay. You can observe the movements of individual feathers as the birds fly just a few feet above and around you. With the aid of marine biologists from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and other birding experts, you will also learn the Bay's history, ecology, and value and examine specimens caught in a trawl net.trip includes a stop at the Estuarium and might make a close-up pass of Alabama's only lighthouse, the Sand Island Light. On this trip, expect to see Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, sandwich Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull - and perhaps even bottlenose dolphins. PLEASE NOTE: -The A.E. Verrill is a working boat with very limited seating. There is a small toilet on board. -The captain makes the final decision regarding cancellations for weather or high seas. -You MUST wear closed-toe, rubber soled, lace-up shoes. No sandels. No exceptions. |
$45.00 |
| 7:00:01 AM - 3:00:00 PM | 4. Weeks Bay Reserve and Weeks Bay Explorer Cruise 7:00am - 3:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch This trip provides an opportunity to cruise weeks Bay, Fish River, and Magnolia River on a comfortable pontoon boat. With the aid of biologists from the Reserve and other birding experts, you will learn about estuarine ecology as you explore this beautiful estuary. trip includes easy walks on boardwalks through a bottomland hardwood swamp and through a rare native pitcher plant bog. On this trip, expect to see Brown pelican, Royal Tern, Double-crested Cormorant, Laughing Gull, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Clapper Rail - and perhaps American alligator and bottlenose dolphins. |
$40.00 |
| 6:30:00 PM - 8:30:00 PM | 6. Welcome Reception and Presentation 6:30pm - 8:30pm. 5 Rivers Delta Resources Center $30 - includes soft drinks, coffee, wine and beer Enjoy a tasty selection of hors d'oeuvres and dessert and meet fellow birers at the beautfil 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. Browse the gift shop and display halls, gather around the stacked-stone fireplace, or just take in the expansive view of te Delta from the screened porch ans spacious deck. Bring your binoculars! Expert birder and photographer, Greg Harber, research assistant, Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, will present Through the Delta and Beyond, a slide show set to music that features a variety of birds and their habitats, ranging from the farthest reaches of Northern Alabama, through the inland plain, and into the Delta and the Gulf of Mexico. Share the wonder of Alabama's birds on the journey that millions take every spring and fall. Greg's photos have appeared in Alabama Birdlife, Journal of the Alabama Ornithological Society, and the four-volume set, Alabama Wildlife, published by the University of Alabama Press. |
$30.00 |
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| 10/17/2008 | ||
| Time | Event Details | Cost |
| 6:30:00 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 7. Bayou La Batre, Forever Wild Grand Bay Savanna, Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Point aux Pins 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch Fishing, shrimping, and oyster harvesting are big business in the fabled land of Forrest Gump. Birding concentrates on waterbirds, shorebirds, and marsh species. Passerines and raptors are often abundant in the fall. The lands in this area are so biologically diverse that The Nature Conservancy has called it one of the Last Great Places on Earth. On this trip, you might see Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Seaside Sparrow, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Osprey, Eared Grebe and Mottled Duck. This a moderate walking trip. Closed toe shoes are recommended. |
$40.00 |
| 7:00:00 AM - 3:00:00 PM | 8. Mobile Bay/Dauphin Island Sea Lab Research Vessel A. E. Verrill Cruise 7:00am-3:00pm Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $45 - includes lunch This trip provides a unique opportunity to view gulls and pelicans up close as they follow the Dauphin Island Sea Lab research vessel, the A.E. Verrill, a 65-foot, diesel-powered, steel hull boat on Mobile Bay. You can observe the movements of individual feathers as the birds fly just a few feet above and around you. With the aid of marine biologists from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and other birding experts, you will also learn the Bay's history, ecology, and value and examine specimens caught in a trawl net.trip includes a stop at the Estuarium and might make a close-up pass of Alabama's only lighthouse, the Sand Island Light. On this trip, expect to see Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, sandwich Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull - and perhaps even bottlenose dolphins. PLEASE NOTE: -The A.E. Verrill is a working boat with very limited seating. There is a small toilet on board. -The captain makes the final decision regarding cancellations for weather or high seas. -You MUST wear closed-toe, rubber soled, lace-up shoes. No sandels. No exceptions. xceptions. |
$45.00 |
| 8:00:00 AM - 12:00:01 PM | 10. 5 Rivers, Meaher State Park, Daphne Bayfront Parks, Jackson's Oak 8:00am to Noon. Carpool from 5 Rivers $20 A moderate walking tour through a variety of local habitats, including wooded trails and shoreline at 5 Rivers Delta Resources Center, elevated boardwalks at wetlands at Meaher State Park, shoreline at Daphne Bayfront Park, and wooded trails at Jackson's Oak. On this trip, expect to see a wide variety of shorebirds and migratory birds, including Virginia Rail, Greater yellowlegs, American Coot, Brown Pelican, American White Pelican, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Boat-tailed Grackle, White Ibis, and Wilson's Snipe. |
$20.00 |
| 3:00:00 PM - 5:00:00 PM | 11. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise 4:00pm - 6:00pm. Cruise departs from 5 Rivers $20 One of the wildest regions of Alabama is the tangle of rivers, bayous, marshes, and swamps known as the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. This birder's oaradise has been designated as one of Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here. Enjoy a casual, relaxing cruise onboard The Pelican guided by a naturalist from the Alabama State Lands, our host at the beautiful 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. On this cruise, you might see Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Boat-tailed Grackle, American White Pelican, white Ibis, Wilson's Snipe, Laughing Gull, and Forster's Tern. Listen for grogs and keep an eye out for nutris, norhtern raccoon, and American alligators! |
$20.00 |
| 5:30:00 PM - 9:00:00 PM | 12. Barbecue and Seafood Dinner, Speaker, and Silent Auction 5:30pm - 9:00pm. The James P. Nix Center in Fairhope $35 - includes sof drinks, coffee, wine, and beer At the Alabama Coastal BirdFest, you'll experience true Southern Hospitality. Tonight's event features a sumptuous dinner of fried and baked seafood, pulled pork, and seasonal local favorites. Arrive promptly at 5:30 for toe-tapping music, and place your bids at our exciting Silent Auction. This is a great opportunity to find deals on works by many of our talented local artisits and photographers. Nature related products, art, wine, trips, ad practical items will be up for bid. After dinner, we'll hear a fascinating presentation from Dr. Frank Moore, ornithologist and Chairman of the Biology Department at the University of Southern Mississippi, about the hig cost of migration, including the availability of suitable habitat. |
$35.00 |
Click here to register and purchase tickets
| 10/18/2008 | ||
| Time | Event Details | Cost |
| 6:30:00 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 13. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (BSNWR) contains 7,000 acres of coastal barrier habitat for migratory birds, nesting sea turtles, and the endangered Alabama beach mouse. Guides on this trip will include naturalists from BSNWR who are particularly familiar with this unique habitat. More than 370 species of birds have been identified on the refuge during migratory seasons. The maritime forests, coastal marsh, beaches, and open waters of the refuge provide essential habitat for an amazing diversity of birds. On this trip, you might see Scarlet Tanager, Palm Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Brown Pelican, Marsh Wren, Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Swainson's Thrush, Osprey, Merlin, and Forster's Tern. Mid-October is also the peak of the annual Monarch butterfly migration. This trip includes extensive walking through brush, wooded areas and on the beach. Wear closed-toed shoes and bring bug spray. |
$40.00 |
| 6:30:00 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 14. Dauphin Island /Sand Island Shorebirds 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch Dauphin Island, a 14-mile long barrier island, has been called one of hte ten most globally important sites for bird migration. This tour includes a visit to the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sancuary, a 164-acre protected oasis of maritime forest, marshes, and sunes, and Sand Island, a narrow strip of land that used to surround the Sand Island Lighthouse but has migrated closer to Dauphin Island over the centuries. On this trip, expect to see Red Knot, Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Piping Plover, Black Tern, Semipalmated Plover, Laughing Gull, Brown Pelican, and Black Skimmer. Wear shoes that can get wet and pants that can be rolled up. You might have to wade to board the small boat that will take you to the short distance to Sand Island. |
$40.00 |
| 7:00:00 AM - 10:30:00 AM | 15. Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, Historic Blakeley State Park & Delta Explorer Cruise 7:00am - 10:30am. Carpool from 5 Rivers $25 EThis trip features a 2-hour cruise in the lower Delta, a true birder's paradise, on board the 50-passenger Delta Explorer, plus birding on teh boardwalk. Participants are welcomed to continue thie visit to the park with a stop at the Wehle Nature Center or walks on park trails. Expect to see Osprey, Bald Eagle, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Swallow-tailed Kite, American Coot, and Common Moorhen. Wear closed-toe shoes. |
$25.00 |
| 8:00:00 AM - 12:00:01 PM | 16. Backyard Wildscaping 8:00am to Noon. Carpool from 5 Rivers $20 Joine Kent Schwartz, professor of landscape architecture at Faulkner State Community College, for this delightful walking tour of campus, yards of local nature enthusiasts, and parks in Fairhope that successfully combine native plants, ornamentals, and water features to create bird- and butterfly-friendly environments. The trip includes a stop at Fairhope's Knoll Park for a glimpse of a rare coastal sandhill ecosystem, currently undergoing renovation to reestablish native species. |
$20.00 |
| 5:00:00 PM - 7:00:00 PM | 17. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise 5:00pm - 7:00pm. Cruise departs from 5 Rivers NOTE TIME CHANGE! $20 One of the wildest regions of Alabama is the tangle of rivers, bayous, marshes, and swamps known as the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. This birder's oaradise has been designated as one of Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here. Enjoy a casual, relaxing cruise onboard The Pelican guided by a naturalist from the Alabama State Lands, our host at the beautiful 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. On this cruise, you might see Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Boat-tailed Grackle, American White Pelican, white Ibis, Wilson's Snipe, Laughing Gull, and Forster's Tern. Listen for grogs and keep an eye out for nutris, norhtern raccoon, and American alligators! |
$20.00 |
Click here to register and purchase tickets
| 10/19/2008 | ||
| Time | Event Details | Cost |
| 6:30:00 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 18. Bayou La Batre, Forever Wild Grand Bay Savanna, Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Point aux Pins 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch Fishing, shrimping, and oyster harvesting are big business in the fabled land of Forrest Gump. Birding concentrates on waterbirds, shorebirds, and marsh species. Passerines and raptors are often abundant in the fall. The lands in this area are so biologically diverse that The Nature Conservancy has called it one of the Last Great Places on Earth. On this trip, you might see Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Seaside Sparrow, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Osprey, Eared Grebe and Mottled Duck. This a moderate walking trip. Closed toe shoes are recommended. |
$40.00 |
| 6:30:00 AM - 12:00:01 PM | 19. Blakeley Island Ponds, Mud Lakes, and Polecat Bay 6:30am - Noon. Carpool from 5 Rivers $20 This area along the Mobile River provides an opportunity to view large numbers of waterfowl and waders. Blakeley Island is near the west end of the Mobile Causeway and is best known for its large dredge disposal ponds. Large waders are abundant and Pied-billed Grebe is common. Other commonly seen birds are Black-necked Stilts, Wilson's Phalarope, gulls, ternn and swallows. When conditions are good, Blakeley Island is the best shorebird spot in Alabama. This tour includes walking through brush and scrub. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring bug spray. |
$20.00 |
| 6:30:01 AM - 2:00:00 PM | 20. Dauphin Island Trans Gulf Migration Flyway 6:30am - 2:00pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers $40 - includes lunch Dauphin Island has been named the Birdiest Small City in the U.S. and for good reason - an information count in 2004 recorded 185 species. Located on the Trans Gulf Migration Flyway, Dauphin Island has been named by Wild Bird Magazine as one of hte top four locations in North America for viewing neotropical migrations. This heavy-walking trip will visit prime birding spots, including the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sancuary, the Airport Marsh, Shell Mound Park, rock jetties at Fort Gaines, and the Causeway. On this trip, expect to see Clapper Rail, Great Blue Heron, Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thursh, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Brown Pelican, and Black Skimmer. Expect to see Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Forster's Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull - and perhaps even bottlenose dolphins. |
$40.00 |
| 7:00:00 AM - 9:00:00 AM | 21. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise 7:00am - 9:00am. Cruise departs from 5 Rivers NOTE TIME CHANGE! $20 One of the wildest regions of Alabama is the tangle of rivers, bayous, marshes, and swamps known as the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. This birder's oaradise has been designated as one of Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here. Enjoy a casual, relaxing cruise onboard The Pelican guided by a naturalist from the Alabama State Lands, our host at the beautiful 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. On this cruise, you might see Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Boat-tailed Grackle, American White Pelican, white Ibis, Wilson's Snipe, Laughing Gull, and Forster's Tern. Listen for grogs and keep an eye out for nutris, norhtern raccoon, and American alligators! |
$20.00 |