Full-day Field Trip to Guntersville

Lake Guntersville, an impounded portion of the Tennessee river that provides winter habitat for thousands of waterfowl, is the destination for the January field trip. We will be visiting several viewing spots along the shores of the lake looking for redheads, greater and lesser scaups, common loons, red-throated loons, pied billed grebes, hooded mergansers and more. This will take most of the morning traveling slowly along the shoreline, by lunchtime we will be at the recreation center. The weather will determine if we can eat inside or out. After our rest stop we will continue across the causeway to the boat launch parking lot. This will provide a view of the far side of the water, also good place to see sparrows, kinglets and phoebes.

From this point we will backtrack to visit the north side of Guntersville Dam to view an active bald eagles’ nest. The dam is also a particularly good site to see large numbers of gulls and great blue herons as they both fish below the dam.
MEETING PLACE: Birmingham Botanical Gardens
2612 Lane Park Road
Birmingham Al. 35223
TIME: 7:00am
Leaving from the Gardens at 7am we will travel via Red Mountain Expressway to I 20/59 E to exit# 128, Tallapoosa St./AL Hwy 79. Stay on 79 to Guntersville. We will regroup at the Burger King on 1929 Gunter Avenue, Guntersville, AL 35976 at approximately 8:45 a.m., if anyone would like to meet the group there.
Bring a picnic lunch or you may choose to purchase lunch in the area. Dress accordingly and note that winds coming off the lake can be cold, also it is generally cooler in Guntersville. Have a full tank of gas, your lunch, binoculars, a spotting scope if you have one, and your camera. Car pooling is recommended. Binoculars will be available If needed.

TRIP LEADER: Susan Barrow (H) 942-8667 (C) 253-8667 and Anne Miller 902-1389