May marks the beginning of sea turtle nesting season on the Alabama Gulf Coast, and although we have seen an increasing number of sea turtles being born and returning to nest over recent years, we have also seen the unthinkable. You may remember the female sea turtle who was found in the surf with her neck attached to a beach chair. Or you may have heard the horrifying news of a group of tourists caught on camera looting sea turtle [...]
While you enjoy visiting our beautiful shores, keep in mind that our beaches have local wildlife residents. Several species of wildlife make their homes in the sand, plants and dunes of our coast. Please do your part to keep their homes safe while you enjoy your time frolicking in the waves. Here are a few ways to do just that: Give nesting areas some space. Even if you don’t see birds, that doesn’t mean eggs and nests may not be [...]
Whether you are a birding enthusiast or just starting out as a birdwatcher, you’ll discover a paradise on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Even if birdwatching isn’t high on your list, you’re going to encounter shore birds during your visit. Sandpipers, great blue herons, laughing gulls, ring-billed gulls and pelicans are common sights along our coast. The Coastal Birding Trail, featuring six birding loops in Baldwin and Mobile counties and totaling more than 200 miles, is a terrific place to watch and [...]
We’ve probably all done it: throw a torn-off piece of bread into the air for sea gulls to swoop down and catch in their beaks. In fact, it’s kinda fun. Cheetos and crackers, too. But the next time you are tempted to feed the birds, don’t. Just don’t. There are reasons for this. First, it’s dangerous to someone holding out their hand to the sharp peck of a gull’s beak. Second, it makes these beautiful creatures become a nuisance. They [...]
If you have visited our Alabama Gulf Coast, you have most likely seen a great blue heron, a wading bird that stands as tall as four feet and has a wingspan of nearly six feet. They are loners, so it’s not unusual to see a solitary, thin silhouette of one close to the shoreline at sunrise or sunset. No doubt about it: Herons are built to catch fish. Those stately, majestic, great blue herons stand perfectly still while stalking their [...]
