WHEELER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
THE HOME OF 1,000 CRANES
REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED AT CAPACITY / OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ON MAIN EVENT LISTINGS
The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, near Decatur, AL, has a well-deserved reputation as a premier wintertime birding destination, and for good reason! The uplands, bottomland hardwoods and especially the wetlands and flooded fields host numerous species of geese, ducks, wintering shorebirds and passerines, and, of course, thousands of cranes.
Sandhill Cranes are by far the most expected of the two crane species, but we can expect to see perhaps one or two of the endangered Whooping Cranes. We can also expect to see Bald Eagles and American White Pelicans. During this trip we plan to visit Limestone Bay / Arrowhead Landing on the north side of the Tennessee River.
SANDHILL CRANE Steve Torna / Audubon Photography Awards
TRIP LEADERS
The leaders for this trip are Greg Harber / 205-807-8055 and Marj Young / 205-515-8394. Please contact by phone on the day of the trip only.
NEED-TO-KNOW
REMEMBER As always, remember to bring plenty of water and wear seasonally appropriate attire.
DETAILS We will start our morning at the Visitor Center, where we will later have a picnic lunch. Restrooms are avilable at the visitor center.
REQUIRED Participants must complete the mandatory online waiver when registering. Please do not request registration for others when submitting your request.
ACCESSIBILITY The visitor center and observation building at Wheeler NWR are fully accessible and much of our birding in other locations on the refuge will entail walking on trails and/or boardwalks.
CANCELLATION In the event of inclement weather, or if you need to cancel at the last minute, please text your trip leaders, as the main office will be closed.
WHERE TO MEET & WHEN
There will be two opportunities to meet up with the group, depending on your location when departing home.
1 MEETING LOCATION & TIME
Chick-fil-A at 7am
Howell Street
Fultondale, AL 35068
I-65 Walker Chapel Road (Exit 215)
2 MEETING LOCATION & TIME
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge at 8:30am
1321 Visitor Center Road
Decatur, AL 35603
Please note that the Visitor Center does not open until 9am.
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & 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. This same principle applies to human communities, which is why our organization is committed to providing equitable and inclusive 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 everyone to participate in our work, and strives to make our programs, classes, and events welcome, inclusive, and accessible to all.