1. Fort Morgan Peninsula - Trans Gulf Migration Flyway & Hummer/Bird Study Group

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

As a stopover on the Trans Gulf Migration Flyway, Fort Morgan been named one of the 100 Globally Important Bird Areas in the U.S. by the American Bird Conservancy. This trip will visit with the banding site of Bob Sargent and the Hummer/Bird Study Group, where the population and health of 2,000-4,000 birds of 85-90 species are banded and recorded over a two-week period each fall. You might experience the thrill of holding a migratory bird in your hand and releasing it into the air. The trip will also take in the extensive open areas and the shoreline of Fort Morgan Historical Park that are attractive to western strays and landbirds, passerine migrants, and raptors. On this trip, expect to see Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Palm Warbler, Yellow Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Gray Catbird, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, Merlin, and American Kestrel. This trip has extensive walking in brush and sand and closed toe shoes are recommended.

2. Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Research Vessel

A. E. Verrill Cruise

7am - 3pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

This trip provides a unique opportunity to view gulls and pelicans up close as they follow the Dauphin Island Sea Lab research vessel, the A.E. Verrill , a 65-foot, diesel-powered, steel hull boat on Mobile Bay. You can observe the movements of individual feathers as the birds fly just a few feet above and around you. With the aid of marine biologists from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and other birding experts, you will also learn the Bay's history, ecology, and value and examine specimens caught in a trawl net. Trip includes a stop at the Estuarium and might make a close-up pass of Alabama 's only lighthouse, the Sand Island Light. Expect to see Brown Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Black Skimmer, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Forster's Tern, Caspian Tern, Herring Gull - and perhaps even bottlenose dolphins.

PLEASE NOTE:

• The A.E. Verrill is a working boat with very limited seating. There is a small toilet onboard.

• The captain makes the final decision regarding cancellations for weather or high seas.
  
• You MUST wear closed-toe, rubber soled, lace-up shoes. No sandals. No exceptions.

3. Dauphin Island Trans Gulf Migration Flyway

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

Dauphin Island has been named the "Birdiest Small City in the U.S." and for good reason - an informal count in 2004 recorded 185 species. Located on the Trans Gulf Migration Flyway, Wild Bird magazine has named Dauphin Island as one of the top four locations in North America for viewing neotropical migrations. This heavy walking trip will visit prime birding spots, including the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary, the Airport Marsh, Shell Mound Park, rock jetties at Fort Gaines, and the Causeway. On this trip, expect to see Clapper Rail, Great Blue Heron, Red-eyed Vireo, Swainson's Thrush, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Brown Pelican and Black Skimmer.

4. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise from 5 Rivers

4pm - 6pm

Cruise departs from Five Rivers

$20

Enjoy a casual, relaxing cruise onboard the 20- passenger Estuarine Queen guided by a naturalist from the Five Rivers Delta Resource Center. This trip will focus on the abundant birds and wildlife in the shallow bays and bayous near the Mobile Bay Causeway. Expect to see Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, American White Pelican, Brown Pelican, White Ibis, American Coot, Osprey, Boat-tailed Grackle, Black Skimmer, shorebirds, gulls, terns, nutria, and American alligators.

5. Welcome Reception and Presentation

6:30pm - 8:30pm

5 Rivers Delta Resource Center

$25

Enjoy a tasty selection of hors d'oeuvres, dessert, and coffee, (plus a cash bar) and meet your fellow birders at the beautiful new 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. Browse the gift shop and display halls, gather around the stacked-stone fireplace, or just take in the expansive view of the Delta from the screened porch and spacious back deck. Bring your binoculars!

Expert birder and photographer Dave Cagnolatti, manager of government affairs Southeastern United States for ConocoPhillips, will show off some of his best work and talk about his photography and birding trips throughout the South as well as Alaska. Dave's work has been featured on brochures, calendars and web sites for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation, Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and others.

6. Fort Morgan Peninsula - Trans Gulf Migration Flyway & Hummer/Bird Study Group

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

See trip #1 on Thursday for description.

7. Bayou La Batre, Forever Wild Grand Bay Savanna, Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Point aux Pins

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

Fishing, shrimping, and oyster harvesting are big business in the fabled land of Forrest Gump. Birding concentrates on waterbirds, shorebirds, and marsh species. Passerines and raptors are often abundant in the fall. The lands in this area are so biologically diverse that The Nature Conservancy has called it one of the "Last Great Places on Earth." On this trip, you might see Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Seaside Sparrow, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Osprey, Eared Grebe and Mottled Duck. This a moderate walking trip. Closed toe shoes are recommended.

8. Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Research Vessel

A. E. Verrill Cruise

7am - 3pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

See trip #2 on Thursday for description.

9. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise from 5 Rivers

3pm - 5pm

Cruise departs from 5 Rivers

$20

See trip #4 on Thursday for description. Note time change!

10. Barbecue and Seafood Dinner, Speaker, and Silent Auction

5:30pm - 9pm

The James P. Nix Center in Fairhope

$30

At the Alabama Coastal BirdFest, you'll experience true Southern hospitality. Tonight's event features a sumptuous dinner of fried and baked seafood, pulled pork, and seasonal local favorites. Arrive promptly at 5:30 for toe-tapping music and adult beverages (cash bar) and place your bids at our exciting Silent Auction. This is a great opportunity to find deals on works by many of our talented local artists and photographers. Nature related products, art, wine, trips, and practical items will be up for bid. Treat your senses to the wonderful tastes, sounds, and sights of this night and be a high bidder to take home some good buys.

After dinner, we'll hear a fascinating presentation about the search in Florida for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Dr. Geoff Hill , ornithologist and Professor at Auburn University, has been leading a team through the swamps and backwaters of the Choctawhatchee River Basin on the Florida panhandle in search of this elusive bird. Recently, the team has discovered many large cavities and unique feeding trees, heard the distinctive kent calls or double raps on 41 occasions, and observed Ivorybills 14 times, according to Dr. Hill. Research is continuing. Come hear his exciting first-hand stories.

11. Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

12. Dauphin Island - Sand Island Shorebirds

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40

Dauphin Island, a 14-mile long barrier island, has been called one of the "ten most globally important sites" for bird migration. This tour includes a visit to the Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary, a 164- protected oasis of maritime forest, marshes, and dunes. The trip also visits Sand Island, a narrow strip of land that used to surround the Sand Island Lighthouse but has migrated closer to Dauphin Island over the centuries. On this trip, expect to see Red Knot, Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Piping Plover, Black Tern, Semipalmated Plover, Laughing Gull, Blown Pelican, and Black Skimmer. Wear shoes that can get wet and pants that can be rolled up. You might have to wade to board the small boat that will take you the short distance to Sand Island.

13. 5 Rivers, Meaher State Park, Daphne Bayfront Parks, Jackson's Oak

8am - noon. Check in at 5 Rivers and drive yourself or carpool

$20

A moderate walking tour through a variety of local habitats, including wooded trails and shoreline at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, elevated boardwalks at wetlands at Meaher State Park, shoreline at Daphne bayfront parks, and wooded trails at Jackson's Oak. On this trip, expect to see a wide variety of shorebirds, and migratory birds, including Virginia Rail, Greater Yellowlegs, American Coot, Brown Pelican, American White Pelican, Magnolia Warbler, Boat-tailed Grackle, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and Yellow-rumped Warbler.

14. Local Backyard Wildscaping

8am - noon. Check in at 5 Rivers and drive yourself or carpool

$20

Join Kent Schwartz, professor of landscape architecture at Faulkner State Community College, for this delightful visit to the yards of local nature enthusiasts and city parks on the Eastern Shore that successfully combine native plants, ornamentals, and water features to create bird- and butterfly-friendly environments. The trip will end at Fairhope's Knoll Park for a glimpse of a rare coastal sandhill ecosystem, currently undergoing renovation to reestablish native species.

15. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise from 5 Rivers

5pm - 7pm

Cruise departs from 5 Rivers

$20

See trip #4 on Thursday for description. N ote time change !

16. Mobile-Tensaw River Delta,Historic Blakeley State Park & Delta Explorer Cruise

7am - 10:30am. Check in at 5 Rivers and drive yourself or carpool to Blakeley

$25

One of the wildest regions of Alabama is the tangle of rivers, bayous, and swamps known as the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. This birder's paradise has been designated as one of Alabama's Ten Natural Wonders. Over 300 bird species have been recorded here. This trip includes a 2-hour cruise in the lower delta on the 50-passenger Delta Explorer and birding on the boardwalk. Participants are welcomed to continue their visit to the park with a stop at the Wehle Nature Center or walks on park trails. Expect to see Osprey, Bald Eagle, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Blue-winged Teal, Red-tailed Hawk, Swallow-tailed Kite, American Coot, and Common Moorhen.

17. Bayou La Batre, Forever Wild Grand Bay Savanna, Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and Point aux Pins

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

See trip #7 on Friday for description.

18. Blakeley Island Ponds, Mud Lakes, and Polecat Bay

6:30am - noon. Check in at 5 Rivers and drive yourself or carpool

$20

This area along the Mobile River provides an opportunity to view large numbers of waterfowl and waders. Blakeley Island is near the west end of the Mobile Causeway, and is best known for its large dredge disposal ponds. Eared Grebe is common and large waders are abundant. Other commonly seen birds are Black-necked Stilts, Wilson's Phalarope, gulls, terns and swallows. When conditions are good, Blakeley Island is the best shorebird spot in Alabama. This tour includes walking through brush and scrub. Closed-toe shoes are highly advised.

19. Dauphin Island Trans Gulf Migration Flyway

6:30am - 2pm. Bus leaves from 5 Rivers

$40 - includes lunch

See trip #3 on Thursday for description.

20. Lower Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Cruise from 5 Rivers

7am - 10am

Cruise departs from 5 Rivers

$20

See trip #4 on Thursday for description. Note time change!

For Further Information Contact:
251-621-1902 or e-mail

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