Northern Parula // Andrew Lydeard
Join us for our monthly Nature @ Noon event with our friends at Ruffner Mountain! April’s walk will be led by Program Coordinator, Andrew Lydeard and Alabama Audubon Ambassador, Carter Bauman! Jefferson County Greenways Conservation Director, Jamie Nobles, will also be joining to point out spring native plants around the habitat gardens, and some of the early ephemeral plants that should be growing as spring sun warms the forest floor—specifically those that benefit birds and other wildlife!
The gardens that hug the parking lot add a diverse layer of habitat that provides cover and food for dozens of bird species, and the surrounding mature woodlands can be excellent places to see a variety of winter and early spring woodland birds. The group will search for migrating birds and discuss the importance of native plants in the ecosystem, many of which can be purchased at Jefferson County Greenways Spring Native Plant Sale starting on April 4, 2026! While the group plans to stay in the parking lot around the nature center, some participants may have the option to join Jamie on a short, dirt trail adjacent to the parking lot.
Meeting Time & Place: We will meet in the main parking lot of Ruffner (at the Nature Center) at 12:00pm and work slowly through the parking lot and adjacent trails in search of birds and spring ephemeral plants.
Address For Event: 1214 81st Street S, Birmingham, AL 35206, United States
Target Bird Species: Hairy Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warblers, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-eyed Vireo, Yellow-throated Vireo
Registration is free but required for this event. The event will only be canceled in the event of hazardous conditions. If you need to cancel at the last minute, please email your trip leaders.
Field Trip Leader: Andrew Lydeard // 1 (703) 606-8956 andrew@alaudubon.org
Accessibility: This event will cover up to 0.5 miles on pavement, hard-packed dirt and muddy surfaces. Expect moderate up-and-down changes along the path. There will be restrooms and benches on site.