Description: Join Coastal Outreach Manager Cortney Weatherby and local birding expert, Mason Currier, on a winter trip to one of Alabama's best locations for shorebirds and waterfowl, the Blakeley Mud Lakes in Mobile! The Blakeley Mud Lakes are maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers and Mobile Port Authority and are used to store mud and sand refuse from dredging the Mobile Ship Channel as well as formerly used as settling ponds for industrial wastewater. This regularly changing habitat along Mobile Bay often creates ideal areas for wading and shorebirds and is among the birdiest locations in South Alabama. Sign up today to target some of our unique and uncommon winter shorebird and waterfowl species on this special field trip!
Please Note:
**Permits are REQUIRED by the Mobile Port Authority before entering the property. **Please follow the link below to fill out and PRINT your signed forms a minimum of 3 days before the trip. You will not be legally allowed to enter the site without it! This is an industrial site with working hazards and potential risks, and the Mobile Port Police actively ticket and tow unauthorized vehicles in the area.**
https://alports.com/birding
Registration is required for this event and will only be canceled in the event of hazardous conditions. If you need to cancel at the last minute, please email or text your trip leaders.
Possible Species:
American Avocets
Stilt Sandpipers
Black-necked Stilts
Palm Warblers
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks
Snowy Egrets
Mottled Ducks
Purple Martins
TRAVEL INFORMATION :
LOCATION DETAILS: Meeting Time and Place
We will meet in front of the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center promptly at 7:00am to carpool as much as possible to reduce the amount of vehicles parked at the gates. Please grab water, snacks, or a restroom prior to the meetup time at 7:00am. If you leave your vehicle, please be sure to take water, snacks, bug spray, and your birding gear.
Parking Address:
5 Rivers - Alabama's Delta Resource Center
30945 5 Rivers Blvd.
Spanish Fort, AL 36527
Trip Leader: Your trip leader will be Cortney Weatherby / cortney@alaudubon.org / 402-297-1775. Please call or text your leader only on the day of the event.
Accessibility: We are estimating that we will travel about 2.25 miles total as a group on mostly flat dirt road surfaces. While the terrain is mostly flat with a few small incline/declines, please be aware that tripping hazards such as debris, holes, or industrial equipment may be present and may not be suitable for all people. There are no benches or restrooms in the facility, so please plan accordingly. Please note that depending on the heat, biting insects can be abundant at this location, so long sleeves or bug spray is recommended as are boots/sturdy shoes. Be sure to bring lots of water and snacks for when we take a break. As always, remember to bring plenty of water, snacks, insect repellent, sun screen, and wear seasonally appropriate attire; Vortex binoculars can be loaned to participants if needed.
*Please reach out to your leader prior to the event, so that we may accommodate any accessibility needs before the program.
Picture Rights & Owner: Andrew Lydread // Black-necked Stilt