Fantastic birding opportunities abound at the 491 acre Nature Center. Sightings of Cerulean Warblers, American Redstarts, and Worm-eating Warblers have all been reported. Flycatchers are typically seen during summer months. Loggerhead Shrikes can be spotted hunting along fence rows and Eastern Bluebirds nest on the property.
Kudzu Cove is located on Buck Island in Guntersville, AL. It began as a rental cabin property that has several cabins available to rent. Three fishing ponds are available for visitors as well as birds to catch fish. Resident Belted Kingfishers and Great Blue Herons can be seen year round at these ponds. Green Herons […]
Stevenson Town Park (Site #43, Northeast Loop) sits on the east side of Crow Creek. The park provides an excellent vantage point from which to scan the open water of the reservoir for Common Loons and Horned Grebes, as well as a variety of waterfowl. During times of low water, look for shorebirds and herons […]
Murphy Hill was supposed to be developed as a power plant. Fortunately for both birds and birders, these plans fell through and the area now hosts a huge variety of habitats ripe for exploration. As you walk through open areas, listen for Yellow-breasted Chats and Indigo Buntings. Once the woods get a little thicker, check […]
Buck's Pocket State Park's wooded pocket canyon is complete with singing Red-eyed Vireos, Wood Thrushes, and Scarlet Tanagers. The park is also host to some interesting surprises during migration.
As you drive along the rim of this incredibly scenic canyon, listen in the open fields for Yellow-breasted Chats and Prairie Warblers. Farther down in the canyon, Yellow-throated Warblers and Red-eyed Vireos can be heard calling from below while Rough-winged Swallows and Chimney Swifts frolic overhead.
Enjoy both woodland songsters-Kentucky and Hooded Warblers, Scarlet Tanagers and Yellow-throated Vireos and displays of native wildflowers and blooming shrubs. The boardwalk is 360 yards long through wooded slopes and moist forest floor.
The 120 acre DeKalb County Lake (Site #46, Northeast Loop) is a popular fishing spot that also serves as an excellent introduction to northern Alabama's bird life. Check the open waters of the lake for wintering waterfowl, including any number of diving ducks, Pied Billed Grebes or resident Mallards. Wooded areas and the larger trees […]
Russell Cave National Monument has been home to wildlife and man for thousands of years. This peaceful setting combines food, water, and shelter with tranquility and beauty. Following the elevated boardwalks and nature trails can lead to eastern woodland species such as Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, whose song is accompanied by the insect-like croaking of […]
Mud Creek Wildlife Management Area (Site #42, Northeast Loop) has numerous impoundments that are likely to turn up a great variety of species. Access roads leading into the area also make Mud Creek easy to bird. Check the ponds in fall and winter for dabbling ducks such as Mallards, Gadwalls, American Wigeons, and Green-winged Teals. […]
Skyline Wildlife Management Area (Site # 41, Northeast Loop) is an extensive tract of wild lands in northeastern Alabama, which hosts the state's only population of Ruffed Grouse. This carefully managed area also supports older hardwood forests utilized by nesting Cerulean Warblers. A visit to the Skyline Wildlife Management Area is most rewarding in spring when […]
The Roy B. Whitaker Paint Rock River Preserve (Site # 40, Northeast Loop) was a working farm until Mr. Whitaker, wishing that future generations be able to enjoy the farm he loved so much, sold it to The Nature Conservancy who now manages it for conservation. These rolling fields sit alongside one of the most […]
North Sauty Creek (Site #39, Northeast Loop) has an excellent display of waterfowl and wading birds that occupy the area. Park on the roadside and scan the creek for waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds, especially during migration or in the winter. A small heron rookery is located on one of the small islands. However, exercise […]
Goose Pond Colony (Site # 38, Northeast Loop) is a public recreational development built on a peninsula on the northern side of Guntersville Lake south of Scottsboro. This location makes for some excellent birding, especially during the winter. Stop at one of the numerous viewing points to search the rafts of waterfowl for Common Goldeneyes, […]
The north side of Guntersville Dam is similar to the south side and also provides boat access to Painted Bluff a few miles downstream. However, the north side of the dam is usually better for viewing Bald Eagles. Active eagle nests have been seen on the ridge just northeast of the dam and in a […]
Guntersville Dam (Site #36, Northeast Loop) impounds the 67,900-acre Guntersville Reservoir in northeastern Alabama. The Tennessee Valley Authority manages the dam for electricity production and flood control. The dam makes an excellent vantage point to scan the waters of the reservoir for waterfowl, wading birds, and gulls. Numerous Great Blue Herons fish here, unaffected by […]
The reservoir is at its best in winter, when waterfowl is plentiful, often supporting rafts of Red-breasted Mergansers, Lesser Scaup, Gadwalls, Ruddy Ducks as well as Common Loons and Horned Grebes.
Guntersville State Park is one of the premier birding areas in northeastern Alabama. Renowned for its Eagle Awareness Weekends, the park is best visited in the winter. During this time, look for dense populations of waterfowl, and the chance to spy a vagrant such as a Red-necked Grebe or an unusual gull.