Birmingham Audubon Black Belt Field Trip: Autaugaville and Lowndesboro kite fields

Details and registration on our website: birminghamaudubon.org/event/2019-07-27

Join us for the second of three great summer trips to Alabama’s Black Belt region. Participants on these trips regularly report Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites, Wood Storks, and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, as well as numerous other southern specialties, each one worth the drive!

In the morning, we’ll focus on some areas east of Autaugaville that have yielded sporadic sightings of Painted Buntings and Lark Sparrows in years past. After lunch at Chef Lee’s and a much-needed break from the mid-summer heat, we’ll drive to the south side of the Alabama river to look for kites. The picturesque ghost town at Robinson’s Switch Road is worth a visit as well—you may want to bring along a camera.

The details: Meetup is on the early side of 7 a.m. at the McDonald’s on US 31 in Hoover, located at 1731 Montgomery Highway, just across from the Galleria. From there, we’ll carpool or caravan down together and reconvene at the Prattville McDonald’s at 8:15 (2573 Cobbs Ford Rd.), exit 179 off I-65 S. It’ll most likely be a long, hot day, so be sure to bring the usual supplies: rehydrating drinks, snacks, a full tank of gas, insect repellent, rain gear, summer attire, and a healthy dollop of sunscreen. Since we’ll be stopping for lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll want to bring along some money, too.

In the case of inclement weather, the event may be cancelled. You may contact the trip leader the morning of the event if the weather is questionable.

Accessibility: Much birding will be done from the roadside with very little walking, so accessibility isn’t much of an issue for those who wish to stay in their cars.

Feel free to email us if you have questions.