Press Release

Bird Awareness Day Is April 3 at Gatra Wehle Nature Center in Historic Blakeley State Park

March 24, 2004

Birding at Blakeley -- an open woods and bird awareness program -- will be held April 3 at the Gatra Wehle Nature Center in Historic Blakeley State Park, presented in cooperation with the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Blakeley State Park will open at 7 a.m. for the program and close at 5 p.m. There is no admission charge that day.

Bird Awareness Day is designed to foster an appreciation for birds. This event focuses on bird identification, importance of birds to the environment, and what people are doing to conserve birds today.

Knowledgeable and experienced professionals will present informative lectures and lead field trips to help people to learn more about the birds in our state and better understand the important issues that are currently affecting them. Speakers for the program include representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, South Alabama Birding Association, Mobile Bay Audubon Society, Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries, and the Auburn Raptor Rehabilitation Center. Displays, exhibits, and video presentations round out the program’s offerings.

The Gatra Wehle Nature Center’s surroundings allow visitors to experience numerous wildlife and diverse plant communities representative of the lower Coastal Plain. This event is planned to coincide with spring migration, to increase chances of observing many different species of birds within a short time.

Vendors will be on site with food and various birding-related products for sale. Special accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities. Restroom facilities are available.

Bring your binoculars and insect repellent, dress comfortably, and enjoy the day birding at Blakeley.

For more information, call Historic Blakeley State Park at (251) 626-0798 or the Alabama State Lands Division at 1-800-LAND-ALA.

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BIRDING  AT  BLAKELEY

A Spring Open Woods and Bird Awareness Program

presented by

ALABAMA STATE LANDS

and

HISTORIC BLAKELEY STATE PARK

at the Wehle Nature Center, Blakeley State Park

Spanish Fort, Alabama

April 3, 2004

AGENDA

7:00-8:30 AM              Welcome

                                Coffee and refreshments on veranda

All day                        Displays, Exhibits, Videos

8:30-9:30 AM              Bird Identification - Guided Nature Walk

9:30-10:00 AM            Displays & Exhibits

10:00-10:45 AM          Making the Connection  - Charles Kkennedy, South Alabama Birding Association

10:45-11:00 AM          Coastal Birding Festival - John Borom, Mobile Bay Audubon Society

11:00-11:30 AM          Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries - Greg Harber, President Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries

11:30-12:00 Noon        Special Skills of Raptors and Helping Injured Birds - Marianne Worley, Roy Crowe,  Auburn University raptor Rehabilitation Center

12:00-1:00 PM            Lunch

                                Exhibits and Displays

1:00-1:45 PM              Success at Gaillard Island - Roger Clay, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries

1:45-2:30 PM              The Audubon Factor - John Borom, Mobile Bay Audubon Society

2:30-3:00 PM              Birding at Bon Secour Refuge - Jereme Phillips, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

3:00-4:00 PM              Afternoon Birding - Guided Nature Walk

4:15 PM                     Birding Basics (video) – Birding with the Stokes

4:30-5:00 PM              Waterfront Birding - Guided Nature Walk at Riverfront