Southern Alabama in Spring: Dauphin Island and Mobile Bay

Least Tern © Michael O'Brien

Witness spring migration in dramatic action as large, sometimes overwhelming, numbers of northbound birds make landfall among the forests, dunes, marshes, and beaches of Alabama’s lovely Gulf Coast and Mobile Bay.

Dotted with Globally Important Bird Areas comprising a spectacular variety of habitats, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is among the very best places on the continent to witness first-hand the northbound movement of millions of birds each spring. While a few species prefer a land route up the coast, many others, from Chimney Swifts and Golden-winged Warblers to Chuck-will’s-widows and Bobolinks, throw caution to the literal wind and set out across the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. On April mornings, flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, and tanagers make landfall on the Alabama coast, where an archipelago of sandy barrier islands welcomes them with an opportunity to feed and rest as they prepare for the next stage of migration.

Our tour, based in a single quaint motel on Dauphin Island, places us right in the middle of the best spot to encounter these weary migrants. Mid-April is the peak season here, and we can hope for steady numbers of birds arriving every day—and this is the time for “fallouts,” too, when winds and weather change late in the night, forcing innumerable birds to set down and wait out the adverse conditions. Such events are unpredictable, of course, but if a cold front passes during our visit, the next day can find us stupefied by the sheer number and diversity of birds seeking shelter and relief in every bit of available vegetation.

In addition to the annual migration spectacle, Alabama’s Gulf Coast is also home to an impressive range of nesting birds. Least Terns and Snowy and Wilson’s plovers occupy sandy beaches while Clapper Rails, an entire range of herons and egrets, and even a few Seaside Sparrows can be found in the marshes. Pine forests on the nearby mainland harbor Great Crested Flycatchers, Summer Tanagers, and sometimes a few Painted Buntings. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers nest in these Longleaf Pine forests along with Bachman’s Sparrows and Brown-headed Nuthatches. We will plan a special morning outing to track down these regional specialties.

Sunrise at this season is shortly after 6:00 am, and sunset is about 7:30 pm. Unlike some other localities along the Gulf of Mexico, northbound migrant birds do not typically reach the Alabama coast before midday, leaving us time most mornings for the relaxed enjoyment of the diverse breeding residents as we leisurely make our way to the famous migration hotspots.

Accommodation is rustic but perfectly placed on Dauphin Island; food very good; no hotel changes; physical demands light; relatively undemanding daily schedule, usually including a pre-dinner break and with no extremely early mornings; weather typically springtime mild, with the chance of occasional rain.

Summer Tanager © Barry Zimmer