East Lake Park is one of Birmingham’s prime birding sites, with a variety of habitats that attract many species. It is one of the city’s oldest and most-visited public parks, as well as a stop on the Alabama Birding Trails Appalachian-Highlands section. While the park’s highlight is a large, easily viewed central island—home to one of the area’s largest Black-crowned Night-Heron rookeries—birders can also expect to find resident and wintering songbirds along the banks of Village Creek, which runs along through southeastern edge of the park.

Following our morning walk around East Lake Park, we will head two miles northeast to Roebuck Springs, on the northeast side of Don A. Hawkins/Roebuck Municipal Golf Course. The site served Jefferson County pioneer George Roebuck (1778-1851) with water and land for his plantation. The pond and stream are one of four known habitats of the endangered Watercress darter and a jewel of a hot spot for birds.