U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail “Birding the Alabama Gulf Coast can be a fantastic experience! This is particularly true during spring migration if a front moves in from the north forcing the migrants down at first landfall onto Dauphin Island or Fort Morgan. Fall migration is equally great and extends over a little longer period Alabama Ornithological Society allowing birders more Reddish Egret time to savor their Table of Contents Introduction . 4 findings. There are some The Gulf Shores-Orange Beach Loop . 8 differences in species that Fort Morgan Loop . 14 come through during South Baldwin County Loop . 19 Eastern Shore, Mobile Bay Causeway . 24 spring and fall.” and Blakeley Island Loop East Mobile River-Tensaw Delta Loop . 33 John Porter, Ph.D. and Executive Director— Dauphin Island-Bayou La Batre Loop . 37 Friends of Dauphin Island ACBT Partners . 47 Audubon Sanctuary Code of Birding Ethics . 48 Credits . 51 The mission of the The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail Reddish Egret U.S. Fish and The Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, Wildlife Service is working with others arranged as a series of loops, to conser ve, protect describes the birding spots most and enhance fish, frequented by Alabama birders. wildlife, plants and Each loop could easily take a half day their habitats for the or more. Detailed directions are continuing benefit of the American people. provided in a sequential fashion, but it is not necessary to follow the complete loop. Suggestions are given for some of the birds that may be A. Morris © expected at each site. More current information can be obtained by We remind We hope you’ll take a look at all this calling the Rare Bird Alerts for all birders great region has to offer. Please visit Alabama, 205/987 2730 provided by one of the welcome centers located on the Alabama Ornithological Society to exercise the maps within this trail guide, or (AOS), and for Northwest great care in contact one of the organizations Florida/South Alabama, enjoying the below and let us help you make plans 850/934 6974 provided by to come back again and again. Francis M. Weston Audubon birds of our Society, Pensacola. On coast; care for Alabama Gulf Coast the Internet check the the birds and Convention & Visitors Bureau AOS website http:// their habitat, P.O. Drawer 457 www.bham.net/aos/ for Gulf Shores, AL 36547 current information. For care for the 800/745 SAND or 334/968 7511 further details on this area or property www.gulfshores.com other areas in Alabama see A owners who Birder’s Guide to Alabama, The host our avian Mobile Convention & Alabama Coastal University of Alabama Press (2000). Visitors Corporation Birding Trail logo visitors, and P.O. Box 204 Alabama’s Gulf Coast is a paradise care for other Mobile, AL 36601-0204 not only for birders, but for visitors birders. 800/5 MOBILE or 334/208 2030 with a variety of interests. We have Thank you! www.mobile.org beautiful gulf beaches, historic homes and fortresses, championship golf These symbols are used for site courses, world-class fishing and descriptions in the text and on the much, much, more. accompanying maps. Open for day use Hunting also occurs in our area. Open for day use—admission Hunting season usually runs from charged October through February, though nonconsumptive use is permitted Open daily—developed camping year round. For more information on is available hunting or fishing contact the Prior arrangements are required Alabama Game and Fish Division at ? Information 334/626 5474. [x.x] Mileage shown within the brackets is the distance between two points Look for the Reddish Egret logos on the ACBT road signs. 4 5 34 80 Alabama Coastal Highways/Interstates 59 Secondary Roads Streams Birding Trail Map Mobile County Mobile Baldwin County River Citronelle 35 Birding Site Descriptions 96 Open Daily, 45 65 Developed Camping Available Admission Charge Stockton 47 43 Open for Day Use 217 Open for Day Use EXIT 31 Admission Charge Prior Arrangement Required 59 287 ? Information 65 Tensaw River Birding Trails 225 Gulf Shores-Orange Beach Loop Bay 112 Minette Ft. Morgan Loop South Baldwin County Loop Satsuma 36 138 7 Eastern Shore, 217 45 59 Mobile Bay Causeway and 43 37 86 158 Saraland Blakeley Island Loop 98 40 East Mobile River 33 Chickasaw Tensaw Delta Loop Grand Dauphin Island Prichard Bay 38 225 Bayou La Batre Loop Blakeley 90A 32 River Mobile Polecat 30 31 Bay Spanish 65 29 98 26 ? Fort 31 59 112 ? 28 90 27 Ft. Conde Scenic 90 10 90 Welcome Overlook/ 25 Center Eastern Shore Loxley Chamber Bel Air 24 Drive 163 27 Daphne 90 10 193 104 Robertsdale Silverhill 90 Fairhope 59 23 Mobile Bay Bellingrath 193 98 49 Summerdale Road 188 98A Foley Beach Express 19 59 48 24 Elberta Little River Bayou La Foley 20A 98 Road 50 Batre Hemley 20 Road Magnolia 83 Grand Weeks 49Springs Little Coden 49 20 Bay Alabama Port Bay 18 Bay Belt 47 12 17 RoadFowl River 21 16 Heron Bay 19 46 10 Perdido Bay Bay Bon Wolf Marina Road 193 Secour River 22 4 Bay Mississippi Sound Bon Gulf 16 N Gulf Shores ? 180 161 3 40 Secour Bay Shores ? 44 Welcome Center 6 7 5 182 2 1 39 180 45 42 10 8 4 Orange 41 43 12 180 9 Beach Dauphin Island 14 13 15 11 Mobile Bay Choctaw Mobile Street Orange Beach Gulf of Mexico 6 Ferry Route Road Welcome Center 7 Gulf Shores – Orange Beach Loop Alabama Gulf Coast 98 Elberta Convention and Visitors Bureau Foley P.O. Drawer 457 Foley Beach 59 Express Gulf Shores, AL 36547 49 334/968 7511 or 800/745 SAND 20 USFWS Gulf State Park 12 Tri-colored Heron 20115 Highway 135 Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Wolf 334/948 7275 Bon Orange Beach Bay Perdido Secour Welcome Center Bay River 4 Gulf Shores – Orange Beach is a well Gulf Shores known resort area with many fine Welcome Center ? 3 restaurants and accommodations as 180 161 2 ? Gulf Shores 2 1 well as a variety of attractions and 6 5 182 recreational opportunities. The Gulf 135 7 Orange Marina Road 180 10 4 Shores – Orange Beach Loop of the 8 Beach Alabama Coastal Birding Trail 9 begins at the bridge over Perdido Pass, east of AL 59 on AL 182 [8.8]. Gulf of Mexico ACBT 1. Perdido Pass/Alabama Point – East (Formerly Florida Point when the Gulf Shores – needed for the distant waterfowl. After state border was located at Perdido Orange Beach L oop viewing the pass take the loop under Pass.) This site is part of Gulf State the bridge and return to AL 182. Park (334/948 7275) and consists of beach and sea oat habitat where ACBT 2. there are opportunities for bird Perdido Pass/Alabama Point – West observation, fishing, and viewing Cross over the bridge traveling west both Perdido Pass and the Gulf of and turn left (south) [0.6] into the Mexico. There are no posted hours parking lot for this portion of the for this park but overnight camping Alabama Point facility. There is a sea is not permitted. There are portable wall along this side of the pass with restroom facilities at the site. benches. Portable restroom facilities are available. As with the east side no Snowy Plover, a species on the Watch overnight camping is allowed but List, nests in the area, most often there are likely to be some fisherman found in depressions in the sand here at any hour of the day or night. away from the water and near the This location provides another first line of dunes. Alabama Point perspective on the same areas viewed also provides critical habitat for the from the east side. Rock jetties extend federally endangered Perdido Key a considerable distance out into the beach mouse. A wide variety of gulf on this side and can be accessed shorebirds are common in summer, by walking west along the beach. This as are wading birds. In winter, is a somewhat perilous venture since numbers of Common Loons feed in the rocks tend to be wet and slippery. the pass during changing tides. An The trip out does provide for a better occasional vagrant Pacific or Red- chance to observe the winter seabirds throated Loon may show up in their that may be in the area, scoters, midst. A spotting scope is usually phalarope and loons. 8 9 ACBT 3. Return to State Park Road turning Boggy Point left (north) and continue a short Continue west on AL 182 to AL 161 distance to Campground Road on the [2.0], turn right (north) and continue right (east). In a short distance you to Marina Road on the right [0.8], will come to the registration building turn right (east) and proceed to the where non-camping visitors register end of the peninsula that ends [1.5] at and pay a small fee. Proceed along USFWS Great Egret the Boggy Point Boat Launch, an the main route, Raccoon Road, to the Alabama Department of third turn on the right which is Conservation and Natural Resources marked for the Nature Center and facility. There is a small beach here Camp Pavilion. and an excellent view of Robinson Island to the east, a roosting site for The pavilion has restrooms, public herons and egrets. This location phones and a camp store, open six gives an alternate view of Perdido days a week, Monday -Thursday, Pass. Return from Boggy Point to 7 am to 9 pm and Friday – Saturday, AL 161, turn left (south) and retrace 7 am to 10 pm.