Registration Open For BirdFest

Alabama Coastal BirdFest is being held along the Alabama Gulf Coast on October 4-6, mostly at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort. New birding tours have been added to celebrate the 20th-anniversary milestone. Organizer South Alabama Land Trust expects thousands of people from across North America to attend. There will be a variety of cruises, walks and workshops. Auxiliary locations include the Mobile Delta, the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary, Fort Morgan, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge and Mississippi’s Sandhill Crane Refuge. Workshops will be on subjects such as hummingbirds, the basics of birding, how to use common birding apps such as eBird and Merlin Bird ID, and understanding bird box design for specific species. A free, family-friendly Bird and Nature Expo will be held on October 5 at 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The expo highlights other local nonprofits and environmental agencies and offers hands-on activities and boat cruises led by a junior birder. 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. Registration is open through September 23.