Cost: $45
Capacity: 14
LOCATION DESCRIPTION / In-person: Join Coastal Manager Cortney Weatherby and rising superstar birder Mason Currier as they lead you through a morning tour of the Clearwater Tract in Upper Delta. The Mobile – Tensaw River Delta is one of coastal Alabama’s best open secrets for birding spectacles in the entire state. It encompasses over 200,000 acres of cypress and tupelo bottomland hardwoods, marshes, rivers, and ponds and is home to more freshwater plant and animal species in the United States. The area is often considered the gateway to America’s Amazon and is one of the most important wetlands for animals and humans alike within the entire country, especially for staging songbirds during the fall.
Cortney and Mason will lead a caravan down the main refuge road for 5-6 miles, stopping to get out and explore when we see or hear flocks of birds. A recent scouting trip by Mason and Program Coordinator Andrew Lydeard yielded a Mourning Warbler and 17 other warbler species, 7 Least Flycatchers (breaking the state high count), cuckoos, vireos, and three different Yellow-bellied Flycatchers! Tag along for a mid-October adventure for late warblers like Bay-breasted and Tennessee or thrushes like Gray-cheeked or Swainson’s. You never know what Cortney and Mason will kick up. Don’t regret missing out when you see the eBird report the next day - sign up today!
LOCATION DETAILS / In-person: There is no fee to enter the WMA, and there are no restrooms here, so please plan accordingly. Please note that the roads can be uneven and contains potholes. All vehicles will be able to traverse the road safely, but it is recommended to go slow.
TRAVEL INFORMATION We will meet at the main gates of Upper Delta WMA / Clearwater Tract promptly at 7:00am and driving through the bottomlands.
Upper Delta Wildlife Management Area – Shooting Range
Ankum Ln
Stockton, AL 36579
Coordinates: (31.13054, -87.84801)
TRIP LEADER Your trip leader for this event will be Andrew Lydeard // (703) 606-8956
ACCESSIBILITY This is a caravan trip, and little walking will be done during the duration of the event. Participants should expect to traverse less than 0.5 miles during the event and will remain in or near their vehicles for this event. Although minimal walking will be done on this trip, the terrain consists of dirt or gravel roads with holes, sticks, and other obstacles that may pose problems for some people. However, if you require accessibility accommodations of any kind, please do not hesitate to reach out to your leader.
REQUIRED Participants must complete the mandatory online waiver when registering. Please do not request registration for others when submitting your request.
CANCELLATION The event will only be canceled in the event of hazardous conditions. If you need to cancel at the last minute, please email or text your trip leaders.
Please continue joining Alabama Audubon as a member or donor to help us continue to offer accessible, educational programs and events across the state. Your generosity enables us to advance research, education, and advocacy efforts to protect birds in Alabama and beyond.