Join Coastal Outreach Manager Cortney Weatherby for an hour long guided bird walk at the Audubon Bird Sanctuary before checking out the last day of our fall banding station. (You can find full details about our fall bird banding station here.) We will meet in the parking lot of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary and head towards the platform overlooking the lake. As we head to the platform we will be on the lookout for woodpeckers (including returning winter sapsuckers), brown-headed nuthatch, and golden & ruby-crowned kinglet.
At the lake species like belted kingfisher, pied-billed grebe, cormorant, and wading birds can be spotted. We will travel a portion of the lake loop trail which can provide overhead looks at passing terns and raptors. A bald eagle or great-horned owl are always a possibility at this site as well! The second half of this walk will skirt along the dune edge trail looking for warblers and other migrating songbirds before turning towards the banding station. This trip will be considered finished once we reach the banding station and individuals can decide how much time they would like to spend there. Binoculars will be available to borrow.
You can view the Audubon Bird Sanctuary eBird hotspot here to see what’s been recently spotted at this location!
This event is free but registration is required. This program is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis but anyone is welcome to walk the trails and visit the banding station as they please!
Trip Leader: Your trip leader will be Cortney Weatherby (cortney@alaudubon.org / 402-297-1775). Please reach out to the trip leaders if you have any questions, concerns, or require special accessibility accommodations so that we can assist you. Please call or text your leader on the day of the event only.
LOCATION DETAILS : There is no parking fee at the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, but parking is limited. Please respect the property and be considerate of other vehicles. Vehicles may be towed if considered in the right-of-way at this location. Additional free parking can be found at Cadillac Square, which is approximately a 20-minute walk from the bird sanctuary.
There are no restrooms at this location (or at the banding station) so you may want to stop by the gas station or public restrooms at Cadillac Square if you need them. Please remember to wear seasonally appropriate attire and bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and bug spray as necessary.
TRAVEL INFORMATION: We will be meeting in the parking lot of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary at 8am.
Address: 211 Bienville Blvd, Dauphin Island, AL 36528
This trip will be considered finished once we reach the banding station, and individuals can decide how much time they would like to spend there.
Accessibility: We expect to cover approximately 1.5 miles before reaching the banding station. The trails at the Audubon Sanctuary are mostly flat dirt trails with a few sandier spots. Some areas may have tree roots, rocks, or uneven ground, which may not be suitable for all people.
Please reach out to Cortney Weatherby (cortney@alaudubon.org) if you have specific questions or require any special accommodations, have questions, or cannot attend, so that we can better assist you on the day of the event.
Cancellation: This event will only be canceled by Alabama Audubon in the event of unforeseen circumstances or threatening weather/hazardous conditions. Refunds (if applicable) will only be issued at the discretion of Alabama Audubon. *If you need to cancel at the last minute prior to the trip, please email or text your trip leaders to let them know!*
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