From staff, wire reports



When the North Alabama Birding Trail opened in September 2005, local tourism and state conservation officials predicted tourists would flock to Alabama to see bald eagles, waterfowl, warblers and other birds.

About four years later, those officials say the response to the trail, which includes 12 sites in and around the Shoals, has exceeded expectations.

“We have a tremendous amount of people coming by or contacting our office for information on the birding trail,” said Alison Stanfield, assistant director of Florence-Lauderdale Tourism. “Interest in the trail remains very high.”

Jeannette Dunnavant, Limestone County Tourism Director, said she is unable to get figures on how many people use the trail locally. However, she said Richard Martin, founder of Rails-to-Trails in Elkmont, tells her many people can be spotted watching birds along the trails.

Limestone County has seven birding sites along the water in the southern part of the county, including: Decatur Hospitality Nature Park, kiosk site at U.S. 31 and Alabama 20; 3M Wildlife Area, kiosk site at U.S. 31 and Alabama 20 on Finley Island Road; Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, White Springs Dike at U.S. 31 and Alabama 20; Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area at U.S. 31 and Alabama 20 on Dairy Road; Round Island Recreation Area at U.S. 31 and Alabama 20 on Cowford Road; Wheeler Refuge, Arrowhead Landing on Old Alabama 20; Wheeler Refuge, Beaverdam Peninsula Tower just off Greenbrier Road; Wheeler Refuge, Beaverdam Swamp Boardwalk just off County Line Road.

Keith Hudson, a wildlife biologist for the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, helped select sites for the trail, which stretches across Alabama from the Mississippi to Georgia lines.

He said while there have been no studies to determine how many people visit the bird-watching sites, the trail is boosting tourism in the region.

“Bird watchers are not like golfers where they sign a register at the course, fishermen or hunters who buy licenses or leave any other type of paper trail that we can use to track their movements,” Hudson said. “We do know from the amount of traffic that we see at the birding trail sites and from speaking to tourism bureaus across North Alabama that the trail does attract a large number of visitors to our state.”

Mark Sasser, coordinator of the non-game wildlife section for the conservation department, said the success of the North Alabama Birding Trail is spawning a proliferation of bird-watching trails throughout the state.

He said the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel will create a series of birding trails with hopes of including all 67 counties. He said wildlife watching is one of the fastest-growing forms of outdoor recreation in America.

Stanfield said many of the local bird-watching sites are popular with people hoping to see bald eagles and migrating waterfowl during the winter months. She said many bird watchers visit the Shoals during a slow time for motels. Those visits provide a welcome boost to the economy.

For more information, visit www.northalabamabirdingtrail.com or www.tourathens.com.