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Field Trip: North Alabama—Paint Rock River and Graham Farm & Nature Center
May 14, 2022 , 6:30 am – 5:00 pm
Pre-registration is required by 12 p.m. CDT on Friday, May 13th.
Registration is now closed. Check out our upcoming events here.
Participants must complete the mandatory online waiver. Please do not request registration for others when submitting your request.
This trip takes us to Jackson County in northeast Alabama, where we’ll spend the morning birding at a couple of sites along the Larkin Fork of the Paint Rock River.
We’ll plan to have a picnic lunch at Graham Farm and Nature Center. The location sits on a century-old farmstead with an extensive trail system of nearly eight miles traversing wetlands, fields, meadows, and forest land. We will have the opportunity to learn about the farm and then explore the trails. They are of variable length and difficulty, so you’ll be able to choose which trail you prefer to walk on. Please note: As a part of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, a separate release and waiver will be required by Graham Farm & Nature Center. There is a downloadable PDF of the waiver and a map of the trails below the details section.
One of the target birds for the trip will be cerulean warblers, which breed in the area, along with the usual species common to forested, riparian zone habitat. American redstarts and worm-eating warblers are a good possibility as well.
The details: Meetup is at 6:30 a.m. at the Fultondale Chick-fil-A (215 Howell Street), located off I-65 (Exit 267) on Walker Chapel Road. We will reconvene at the Hardee’s in Gurley (5975 Hwy 72 E, Gurley) at 8:30 a.m. for anyone who prefers to meet us there.
Be sure to bring the usual supplies: a full tank of gas, comfortable walking shoes, binoculars, water, snacks, sunscreen, insect repellant, rain gear, and seasonally appropriate attire. 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: This trip is not considered wheelchair accessible. The paths will be uneven with some rocky terrain and potential for inclines. (The trails at Graham Farm are of variable length and difficulty. You’ll be able to choose which trail to walk on.)
Questions about accessibility? Email us for more information about how we can meet your needs.
The food: Bring a picnic lunch to eat at Graham Farm & Nature Center.
The birds: We’ll expect to see spring migrants, hopefully including cerulean warblers, American redstart, and worm-eating warblers. Also likely, we’ll see vireos, tanagers, and goldfinch. You’ll find the latest eBird records for Graham Farm & Nature Center here. Share your eBird list with us (ALAudubon) and contribute to community science data!
Trip leaders: Greg Harber (205-807-8055) and Hans Paul (205-807-7357) will lead this trip. Please contact them on the day of the field trip only.
Questions? Email the Programs Assistant.
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.
