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This loop covers part of the Eastern Shore, Fairhope to Daphne, and then crosses Mobile Bay on the Causeway (US 90/98) and continues northward up US 90A to Blakeley Island. The final site is on US 43 and offers a picnic area and boardwalks overlooking Chickasaw Creek. There are many accommodations for food and lodging in the area particularly around the intersection of US 98 and I-10 at exit 35.
ACBT 23.
Fairhope Municipal Pier and Beach
This loop begins at the municipal pier and beach at the west end of Fairhope Avenue just off US 98A in Fairhope. There is no charge for the pier, but there is a charge for entry to the beach. The pier is a good location for winter ducks, and the parking area for Barred Owl.
ACBT 24.
Village Point Park
Return to US 98A, turning left on Magnolia Avenue shortly after leaving the pier [0.1]. Proceed a short distance to downtown Fairhope and turn left (north) on N. Section Street. Follow US 98A through Montrose to Daphne, turning left (west) at Village Point Park [7.9]. At approximately 70-acres, Village Point Park is the largest park in the city of Daphne. A parking lot with bathrooms and a picnic pavilion marks the beginning of a 3,000 foot main trail that takes visitors westward towards Mobile Bay. Along the bay is a pier and an extensive boardwalk where visitors can walk north towards Bayfront Park, another Daphne city park. Mixed pine and hardwoods dominate the property. Yancey Branch flows along the southern boundary of the park and a small marsh is found near the bay. Permanent bird residents including Red-bellied Woodpeckers and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are common. On occasion, Great Horned and Barred Owl might be encountered. Egrets and herons, including Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, and Tricolored Heron can be seen along the shores of the bay and marsh. Birds seen year-round over water include Brown Pelican, Laughing Gull, and Caspian Tern. Winter brings American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, and Forster’s Tern. Gadwall is the dominant winter duck, although Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, and Bufflehead can be common at times. Bald eagle is not uncommon from this vantage point as well.
Within Village Point Park is D’Olive Cemetery, a burial site of early Daphne settlers. Jackson’s Oak, a massive Live Oak, is the site where General Andrew Jackson is said to have once bivouacked his troops.
ACBT 25.
D'Olive Bay Overlook
This section is heavily developed commercially. Just before the intersection with I-10 [1.5] there is an overlook on the left (west) behind the Shell service station. This spot provides an excellent view of D'Olive Bay below and farther out into Mobile Bay. Check the bay for ducks in winter as well as wading birds year round. Peregrine Falcons are occasionally seen perching on top of the Causeway light poles during the winter months. The balance of this loop will generally involve birds at a distance and a spotting scope is very helpful, if not necessary.
ACBT 26.
Meaher State Park
Continue north on US 98 across I-10. You can either turn left (northwest) on US 98 and go to the next site, Meaher State Park (skip to next paragraph for directions to Meaher State Park). Or you can continue straight for a very short distance, take the next left onto Larry Dee Cawyer Drive and stop at the Scenic Overlook which is atop the hill and surrounded by a rock wall. Area information, restrooms and telephones are available at the Scenic Overlook which is also the location of the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce.
Return to US 98, turn right this time (still northwest) to the junction with US 90 and US 31 (Mobile Bay Causeway). Proceed westward on US 90/98/31 to the entrance of Meaher State Park on the left (south) [1.9]. Picnic facilities and restrooms are available here and the park closes at sunset. Stop at the gate house to pay a nominal entrance fee and then drive to the shell road about 0.3 miles to the boardwalk trail. Park here (there is a chain across the shell road at this point) and walk on toward the boardwalk that extends out into Mobile Bay. Watch for sparrows as you approach the boardwalk. Many wading birds can be seen from the boardwalk, including bitterns and rails. This is a great place for terns, including Gull-billed in summer. On the south side of the island, looking west into the bay there are often White Ibis. American White Pelican finds this a favorite spot in winter, as do large rafts of ducks.
ACBT 27.
5 Rivers Delta Resource Center
Leaving Meaher State Park, proceed directly across US 98 and follow the signs to 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center. 5 Rivers is a facility managed by the ADCNR State Lands Division for outdoor recreation, conservation and land stewardship. Its name recognizes the five rivers (Mobile, Spanish, Tensaw, Apalachee and Blakeley) that flow into Mobile Bay, which encompasses over 250,000 acres of meandering waterways, floodplain forests and extensive wetlands. The center features an exhibit hall, theater, gift shop, Delta boat tours, canoe and kayak rentals, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Visit the website for hours of operation and upcoming programs and events: http://www.alabama5rivers.com
The decks of the Delta Hall and the perimeter trail around the facility provide excellent vantage points to observe birds that are representative of the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta marsh and waterways. A variety of gulls and tern species cruise the waterways throughout the year. In spring and summer look for Brown Pelicans, Osprey, King Rails, Marsh Wrens and several species of herons and egrets. During the fall you may see rafts of American White Pelicans arriving for the winter. The vegetation along the water’s edge is good habitat for a variety of sparrows and Gray Catbirds in winter and Purple Gallinule and Least Bittern in summer. Painted Buntings are possible in spring. Across from the Delta Hall are hiking trails that meander through a grove of live oaks. Check here for migrants in spring and fall.
ACBT 28.
Mobile Bay Mudflats
From 5 Rivers, proceed west on US 98 toward the Mobile Bay mudflats. Along the way, be sure to stop [3.4] at the public boat launch on the right (just west of the US 98/I-10 interchange) to view a nesting colony of Cliff Swallows under the I-10 Causeway. Continue west another 0.5 miles to an unpaved overlook on the left (south) side of the Causeway. The best viewing at this site is during low tide when the mudflats are exposed. This is a good place to look for herons, egrets and Boat-tailed Grackles any time of year. An assortment of sandpipers and plovers are regular during spring and fall migration. During high tide, American Coots and waterfowl are regular in winter. A spotting scope is recommended to adequately scan this area.
ACBT 29.
Battleship Park
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| (Sites 29-32) |
Cross over the bridge going westward and turn into the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park on the left (south) [1.6]. Admission is charged per vehicle to enter the park which entitles you to use the restrooms in the gift shop. The open lawns of the park can be excellent for shorebirds like Black-bellied Plover, particularly after a rain. Bear to the right as you drive into the park and toward the southwest you will see a paved walkway leading to an observation deck overlooking Pinto Pass. During low tide this area is filled with herons, egrets, and occasionally ibis, especially in late summer. Black-necked Stilt may be around almost any time of the year at low tide. Gull-billed Tern is here in summer and Least Bittern often fly across from one marshy area to the next. During migration the mudflats are filled with shorebirds. Look for dabbling ducks in the shallows and bay ducks farther out in the deeper water to the south. There may be numbers of Yellow-crowned Night Herons here with many immatures in late summer and Black-crowned year round. Continue around to the parking lot to the east side along the bay, checking for gulls and terns. At the extreme north end, park and survey the lawn from this vantage point for sandpipers and plovers that you might have missed from the other side.
ACBT 30-32.
Blakeley Island and Mud Lakes Dredge Disposal Areas Overview
Park, turn west on US90/98 and proceed straight (past the traffic light at Bankhead Tunnel where the exit from I-10 merges [1.0]) onto US 90A and continue north to the Blakeley Island Dredge Disposal Area stops. There area three stops along this leg of the trail: North Blakeley Island Disposal Area, Blakeley Island Mud Lakes, and South Blakeley Island Disposal Area. The dredge disposal areas, contained within the dikes at Blakeley Island are the premier shorebirding spots in the state. Spring and fall migration can offer looks at hundreds of shorebirds. It is a reliable place to see a variety of ducks in winter. The shallow pools along the road as you approach the dikes are often good for shorebirds.
NOTE: This notice only applies to the Blakeley Island Mud Lakes Disposal Areas. The Mud Lakes are former industrial waste treatment sites and the waters in these dredge material management ponds can be extremely caustic. The ponds are currently used for the disposal of dredge materials by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Alabama State Port Authority. Do not leave the road or the tops of the dikes for any reason! Entry to the upper ponds is by permit only and requires the annual submission of a liability waiver form to the Alabama State Port Authority and notification of a visit beforehand. Weekdays call 251/441 7085, weekends 251/441 7777 to notify the Port Authority of your intention to visit. You may download the required forms from the Alabama Ornithological Society (AOS) web site at http://www.aosbirds.org/blakeley.php. The forms may also be obtained at the visitor's centers in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach or at Fort Conde in Mobile. The forms may be mailed to the Alabama State Port Authority (the address is on the forms) or faxed to: 251/441 7255. The AOS web page also has a map indicating which ponds are currently open to visitors. Insect repellent is in order. Be advised; any of the following trips are potentially long, hard, hot walks, so prepare accordingly.
ACBT 30.
Blakeley Island – South Blakeley Disposal Area
From the traffic light at the Bankhead Tunnel, continue north on US 90A to access the South Blakeley Disposal Area [1.4]. Park well off the road near the locked gate across from the "Bender Yard 9" sign, and leave your permit sheet visible on the front dash. Bear to the right as you walk on the dirt road leading southeast to the diked pond. At the top of the dike scan the large ponds in various stages of management; you must stay on the perimeter dikes. Best areas usually are in the northwest and southwest corners of the pond.
ACBT 31.
Blakeley Island – Mud Lakes
Continue northward from the traffic light to the locked gate [0.5], access Mud Lakes, park well out of the way, and walk the dirt road up the dike. Continue east on the dike road, remembering not to leave the dike for any reason. The best areas for birding usually are lake numbers 1 and 5 to the south and north of this dike as you first approach from the west.
ACBT 32.
Blakeley Island – North Blakeley Disposal Area
Continue northward on US 90A to access North Blakeley Disposal Area at the foot of the Cochrane-Africatown USA bridge, where you will note a road to the left (west) with a sign indicating “Alabama State Port Authority” [0.3]. Follow this under the bridge, carefully examining any birds that may be in the canals. As road veers left, take the second dirt right which leads east to a locked gate at the base of a dike to the left [0.6]. Climb the dike to check the area, which under the proper conditions, may produce waterfowl and shorebirds.
ACBT 33.
William Brooks Park
Return to US 90A and turn left (north) crossing the Cochrane-Africatown USA bridge to the intersection with US 43 North [2.2]. Turn right onto a connector road and travel a short distance [0.2] to the US 43 North intersection (Telegraph Road). Take left (north) and proceed 3.3 miles to Williams Brooks Park located on the left (west) before you cross the bridge over Chickasaw Creek. This site is managed by the City of Chickasaw and features numerous picnic pavilions, trails, a boardwalk system, and a couple piers. The trails pass through a variety of habitats ranging from mixed pine-hardwood uplands to forested bottomlands. Look for migrants during the spring and fall. Prothonotary Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird and Summer Tanager are regular summer residents. The boardwalk system offers an easy walk that accesses a viewing pavilion. Check for waterfowl, waders, and Osprey in the open areas over the creek.
This is the end of the Eastern Shore, Mobile Bay Causeway and Blakeley Island Loop. To proceed on to the
East Mobile River - Tensaw Delta Loop, continue north on US 43 to AL 158. Turn left (west) on AL 158 to I-65.
Go North on I-65. As you cross over the Mobile River, you will have a spectacular view of the water and forest land below.
Continue to AL 225 at exit 31, where you will go north on AL 225.
Or you can return to US 90A and go south to the intersection of US 90 and I-10. Head west on I-10 to do the
Dauphin Island - Bayou La Batre Loop. Drive on I-10 to the west side of Mobile to exit 17-A, AL 193
South. Go south on AL 193 to Dauphin Island.
See the Dauphin Island - Bayou La Batre Loop section for further directions to the birding sites in this loop.
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Eastern Shore
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Drawer 31D
Daphne AL 36526-0310
251/621 8222 or 251/928 6387
www.eschamber.com
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Daphne Field Office
P.O. Box 1190 1208-B Main Street
Daphne, AL 36526
251/441-5181
daphne.fws.gov
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