Cost: Free
Capacity: 30
LOCATION DESCRIPTION / In-person: Russ Bailey was a long-time member of Birmingham Audubon, and “back in the day”when we held only one field trip per month, Russ would have an impromptu fieldtrip on the Labor Day holiday. His philosophy was that with the southbound migration well underway it was pointless to waste a perfectly good day of birding! Russ usually went to Lake Purdy to look for shorebirds but the past few years the shorebirding there has been lackluster due to changing water levels in the lake. Therefore, this year we’re headed to Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a well-known local birding hotspot. The botanical Garden’s woodland habitat and myriad walking trails will provide excellent birding opportunities as we look for colorful warblers, vireos, tanagers and thrushes. You can read more about Birmingham Botanical Garden on the Alabama Birding Trails website, https://bbgardens.org/ .
Birmingham Botanical Gardens is an ideal spot to host a bird walk -- especially one intended for beginners. In its beautifully landscaped and wooded 40+ acres, the (mostly-paved and easily-accessible-for-most) paths offer an excellent complement of resident bird species, and good opportunities to spot migrants as they pass through, headed south for the colder months. We would expect to see plenty of woodpeckers, nuthatches, Robins, Bluebirds, two or three species of hawks, multiple vireos, a few species of warblers, along with numerous Cardinals, Mockingbirds, Brown thrashers, Eastern towhees, some hummingbirds...This is an excellent opportunity to get into birding, or to get deeper into and better at birding, as you are escorted through the Gardens by your knowledgeable trip leaders.
TRAVEL INFORMATION: Meet at the main gate of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens at 8:00 am. The physical address is 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham AL 35223
MEETING TIME AND PLACE : Parking is abundant, safe, and free at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Admission is free, and there are restrooms on-site. As the day may be quite warm, dress accordingly, and sunscreen and bug spray are wise choices. Feel free to bring water (though there are fountains onsite) and snacks. There are vending machines at the BBG, but you may wish to bring your own snack and drinks.
TRIP LEADER Your trip leader for this event will be Paul Franklin / (205) 542-7647 and Hans Paul / (205) 205-807-7357
ACCESSIBILITY The main paths through the BBG are paved with asphalt and are flat or gently rolling, with the exception of one significant hill (which may be avoided). There are side paths, the majority of which are "improved" trails, mostly topped in crushed stone or the like. By and large, the property would be considered easily accessible for the majority of attendees.
REQUIRED Participants must complete the mandatory online waiver when registering. Please do not request registration for others when submitting your request.
CANCELLATION The event 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.
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Picture Credit and Owner: Paul Franklin