Alabama Waterfowl and Shorebirds

Taken in James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama. This is a wetland area that is part of the Coosa River watershed.

Noccalula Falls Park, Gadsden, Alabama. (IMG_6134)

These cranes are endangered. Only about 600 exist - 400 of them are in the wild. Of those, 300 are in the only naturally migrating flock which is west of the Mississippi and 100 are captive born that are being released into the wild in hopes of establishing another migrating flock east of the Mississippi River. Thirty four of the released birds have been wintering in Alabama, 12 to 14 of them at Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama where this photo was taken. The birds were quite far away not much more than a white speck to the native eye. However, if I really blow the image up, though blurred, I can see some of the leg bands. Each crane has a distinctively colored band. All the eastern cranes have life histories on the internet. When I have time I will try to find the ones I photo'd. (IMG_7691)

James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_4942)

Orange Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama (IMG_1937)

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (IMG_7623)

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (IMG_7669)

Wheeler National Wildife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (IMG_7631)

Taken at the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama. This is a wetland area that is part of the Coosa River watershed. (DSC04404)

At a rookery which is shared with great blue herons on a small island in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama - a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. I first noticed a number of egrets in the trees on the island as I drove along I759 into Gadsden and wondered if it could be a rookery. I decided to investigate further. The island was some distance across the water (see then note - upper left) from the Gadsden Mall parking lot which is where I went to take photos. Because of the distance, (based on Google Earth view over 750 feet), even at maximum zoom, I was essentially shooting blind. But happily, by cropping, I managed to get some fairly decent shots. During the winter the trees are occupied by numerous wintering cormorants. (IMG_6322)

Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (IMG_7612)

This egret is at a rookery which is shared with great blue herons on a small island in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama - a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. I first noticed a number of egrets in the trees on the island as I drove along I759 into Gadsden and wondered if it could be a rookery. I decided to investigate further. The island was some distance across the water (see then note - upper left) from the Gadsden Mall parking lot which is where I went to take photos. Because of the distance, (based on Google Earth view over 750 feet), even at maximum zoom, I was essentially shooting blind. But happily, by cropping, I managed to get some fairly decent shots. During the winter the trees are occupied by numerous wintering cormorants. (The auto in the background is on the Interstate) (IMG_6349)

These great blue heron young are in rookery shared with great egrets on a small island in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama - a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. I first noticed a number of egrets in the trees on the island as I drove along I759 last year and wondered if it could have been a rookery. Seeing the egrets again this year, I decided to investigate further. The island was some distance across the water (see note) from the Gadsden Mall parking lot which is where I went to take photos. Because of the distance, (based on Google Earth view over 750 feet), I was essentially shooting blind. But happily, thanks to enough megapixels and severe cropping, I managed to get some fairly decent shots. As can be seen, I also discovered that the egrets shared the rookery with the great blue herons that were not easily as seen from the distance as the white egrets were. This past winter the trees were occupied by numerous wintering cormorants. (IMG_1682)

Near James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. (IMG_1741)

James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama - a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. (IMG_7179)

Taken at James D. Martin Wildlife Park, Gadsden, Alabama, a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed. (DSC06695)

James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5065)

James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a wetland that is part of the Coosa River watershed, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_4900)