- This event has passed.
Gosse Nature Walk: Florence—Seven Mile Island WMA
November 5, 2021 , 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Pre-registration is requested for planning purposes by 12 p.m. CDT on Thursday, November 4th.
Registration is now closed.
Didn’t get to register? You can still meet us there!
Check out our upcoming events here.
Seven Mile Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a short distance from downtown Florence with approximately 4,685 acres of open river, riverine banks, islands, and peninsulas along the Tennessee River in Northwest Alabama. The land is owned by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and managed by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division. While Seven Mile Island WMA mostly attracts small game hunters, the management and diversity of habitat the area offers provides a home to numerous migratory and resident birds, making it an ideal spot for birding. During the winter, you can see various waterfowl, wading birds, and songbirds utilizing the river, wetlands, and bottomland hardwood forests. Special guest Mercedes Maddox, Nongame Wildlife Biologist with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division of ADCNR, joins us as we explore this wildlife management area in northwest Alabama.
The details: Meetup is at noon. There is a gravel parking lot at the entrance and a gravel road that people can pull off on. Turn left onto Seven Mile Island Rd. off of State Hwy. 20, then take your next left to stay on Seven Mile Island Rd. The gravel lot is at approximately 34.785602, -87.698626. There is a big WMA sign right next to the parking lot.
Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and long pants—there is the possibility of encountering poison ivy in some areas. Also, these are wetlands, so mosquitoes can be really bad. Insect repellant is a must. And as usual, feel free to bring your binoculars, water and snacks, rain gear, sunblock, and seasonally appropriate attire.
Once we convene at the parking lot, we will caravan around the WMA to different prime locations. Please note we will be driving on gravel roads with some potholes. These roads are passable for two wheel drive vehicles, but still worth noting.
In the case of inclement weather, the event may be cancelled. You may contact the trip leader the morning of the event if the weather is questionable.
Registration: To register, click on the button above. If you’re new to our online system and don’t yet have a username and password, simply click the “X” on the pop up and fill out the basic form. If you do have a login, please use it as this helps us tremendously on our end! You should receive an automated email upon registering.
Accessibility: The area is not wheelchair accessible, though it is fairly flat. The walk will be on uneven terrain along gravel roads and dirt paths.
Questions about accessibility? Email us for more information about how we can meet your needs.
Trip leaders: Alabama Audubon Outreach & Communications Director Sarah Randolph co-leads this trip with Mercedes Maddox. Sarah’s cell is 205-422-4124 (day of event only, please).
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
Through more than seventy-five years of conservation work in one of our nation’s most ecologically rich states, Alabama Audubon has seen firsthand how diversity strengthens natural communities. We believe that the same principle applies to human communities, which is why our organization is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all Alabamians to learn about and enjoy wild birds, their habitats, and the natural world. One of the best ways to support that belief is by valuing and actively seeking to strengthen diversity among our staff, our board, and our membership. To that end, Alabama Audubon welcomes the whole of our community to our work, and strives to make our programs, classes, and events open and accessible to all.
