Birdfest Set For October

The 19th Annual Alabama Coastal BirdFest is being held along the Alabama Gulf Coast on October 4-7. Organizer South Alabama Land Trust expects thousands of people from across North America to attend. The schedule includes a variety of cruises, walks and workshops. Most workshops; beginner birding tours; and the presentation by keynote speaker Emma Rhodes, cofounder of Banding Coalition of the Americas, will be held at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort. Rhodes will present “Alabama Sojourn: Through the Eyes of a Migrant” on October 6. Additionally, a free and family-friendly Bird and Nature Expo will be held at 5 Rivers on October 7 at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Registration opens August 4. BirdFest raises money through sponsorships to help preserve and protect vital coastal bird and wildlife habitat and increase awareness of the biological diversity of the Alabama Gulf Coast.