The state parks are also a great place to go to watch for birds. Here are just a few in the state of Alabama.
In the northern section of Alabama is Lake Guntersville State Park. It is in northeast Alabama in Marshall County. It is a mountain lake along the Tennessee River. It has grasslands and forests with waterfalls, old coal mines, whiskey stills, old Indian paths, log cabins, an old spring, cliffs and ponds and pools. It has 20 trails that all loop together for a total of 36 miles. They range from 0.5 miles long to 3.5 miles long and range from easy to difficult. It is also a great place to canoe along the Tennessee River and the lake besides the trails with islands in the lake to explore the wildlife inhabitants. There is also free admission! Waterfowl, wading birds, gulls and raptors can be found here. Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons are common and even nest here. During the winter months there are even Eagle Awareness Weekends that you can attend to learn more about the Bald Eagle and to watch them.
In Central Alabama at Pelham, there is Oak Mountain State Park. There are fees here. It costs $2 for adults and $1 for kids 6-11 and Senior citizens 62 and up Monday through Friday and on weekends and holidays the rates are $1 more. The park closes one hour before dark unless you are a registered overnight guest. It is Alabama’s largest park at 9,940 acres of pine-studded ridges and lush green hardwood bottoms.
There are approximately 52 miles of trails that are color-codes and have markers every 1/4 mile so you can call the office if there is an emergency or if you get lost. The trails range from 0.3 miles long to 17 miles long and are great for hiking, biking and horseback. There is even a Treetop Nature Trail that is elevated and handicap assessable. It offers close-up views of hawks and owls in their natural habitat. Many of these birds have been brought to the park injured and have been nursed back to health and put back into their natural habitat rehabilitated.
For those who really like to get away from it all, there is Dauphin Island. The entire island is a bird sanctuary. It is one of the top four birding locations in America also. All types of birds can be found here. It is a barrier island about 30 miles south of Mobile and has a 3-1/2 mile long bridge on Highway 193 that connects the Dauphin Island to the mainland or you can take the ferry or a boat to get there.
The island is approximately 14 miles long. It contains lakes, marshes and wooded areas besides the beaches. Public areas contain parks, beaches, dunes, wetlands and quiet streets also, where you can see the sites. Approximately 345 species of birds that make Dauphin Island home throughout the year. It is a great rest stop especially in the spring and fall when the migrating species make their way to and from Central and South Americas to the United States on their yearly routes. There are accommodations on the island so you do not just have to be there during the day.
The island is also home of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary where there are trails to walk to bird watch. They have constructed a 1000-foot handicap accessible boardwalk from the parking lot of the Audubon Bird Sanctuary to Gaillard Lake that includes a pier overlooking the lake. A raised walkway has also been constructed through the Tupelo swamp to make birding more assessable to the public.
