ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR 2010 BIRDFEST TO OPEN SOON
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Mark Your Calendar –
7th Annual Alabama Coastal BirdFest is Oct. 14-17, 2010

Plans are well underway for the 7th annual John L. Borom Alabama Coastal BirdFest, Oct. 14-17, 2010. Organizers are busy finalizing trip and event plans – and keeping an eye on the ongoing oil situation in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Of course we are all very concerned about the immediate and long-lasting effects of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf,” said John Borom, BirdFest chairman and president of Mobile Bay Audubon Society. “The Audubon Society has been deluged with phone calls from concerned people all over the country who want to help, and we truly appreciate everyone’s concern. The fact is, things don’t look good for our estuarine marshes, beaches, marine life, and shore bird populations along the northern Gulf Coast because this disaster happened during breeding season for many species of fishes, invertebrates, shorebirds and sea birds. We just have to wait and see.

“However, we remain hopeful that the oil will not have a significant effect on migratory birds in the fall. We are going ahead with our plans for BirdFest with that hope. If conditions warrant changes in our schedule, we will deal with that and post updates on our website. Already, we have scheduled a keynote speaker for BirdFest who will address the issue. Dr. John Dindo, from Dauphin Island Sea Lab, will speak at our Friday night BirdFest dinner and will have much to say on how the oil impacts nesting habitat in our area. We expect to have presentations from other experts at our free Bird & Conservation Expo in Fairhope on Saturday, Oct. 16.”

Borom noted that it is more important than ever to protect coastal habitat for birds and all wildlife. “One good thing that may come out of this oil spill is increased awareness about the vital role that estuaries, beaches, and marshes play in our entire eco-system.”

For visitors from out of state who want updated information on the oil spill and how it affects travel in the Mobile Bay area, we suggest you visit these websites: http://www.mobilebaytravelupdates.com, www.eschamber.com, or www.gulfshores.com.

The 2010 BirdFest will include several new trips in local inland waterways and will repeat many popular land and boat trips from previous years. The full schedule will be released by mid-July and registration will open at that time.

Since 2004, the Alabama Coastal BirdFest has attracted participants from 18 states and Canada and has donated more than $50,000 toward habitat protection and preservation in Baldwin and Mobile counties.

We'll see you in October for the Alabama Coastal BirdFest!