Alabama Waterfowl and Shorebirds

Behind the Gadsden Mall adjacent to the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a city park that is a wetland formed at the mouth of Black Creek by the backwaters of Neely Henry Lake created by the impoundment of the Coosa River by Alabama Power. Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_2684)

In breeding plummage at a rookery in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_4816)

In breeding plummage at a rookery in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_4819)

In breeding plummage at a rookery in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5010)

In breeding plummage at a rookery in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5002)

A mating behavior being performed by a great blue heron pair on their nest at a rookery in James D. Martin Wildlife Park ,a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5125)

A mating behavior being performed by a great blue heron pair on their nest at a rookery in James D. Martin Wildlife Park ,a city park that is a wetland backwater formed at the mouth of Black Creek by Alabama Power Company's Neeley Henry Dam impoundment of the Coosa River, Gadsden, Alabama (IMG_5126)

These seven whooping cranes are in a field beside Priceville High School in Decatur, Alabama, a couple of miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge where they are wintering. The brown-headed young bird, #69-16, called Zion, named after the National Park in celebration of the National Park Service’s centennial, was hatched and raised by foster parent whooping cranes at the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin in 2016. In the fall, she was released into the wild in Wisconsin near an adult pair, the goal being that she would associate with them and follow them when they migrated. She never really bonded with them, instead migrating to Wheeler for the winter with a group of sandhill cranes. At Wheeler, she has begun associating with other whooping cranes. (IMG_4734)

These two along with five others are in a field adjacent to Priceville High School, a couple of miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. They can be identified by their leg bands. The bird in front is 11-15. He is a male, hatched on May 11, 2015 at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, captive raised, transferred to Wisconsin in September, and later migrated south to Florida by following an ultralight aircraft, occasionally being crated and trucked to the next stop when he fell behind or the weather was bad. He successfully returned to Wisconsin in the spring of 2016 with several other cranes. In the fall, however, he did not return to Florida, but instead found his way to Wheeler, where he is wintering. His story is at (https://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/crane/15/BandingCodes_1511.html). The other crane is 65-15, a female, named Leola. She was hatched on June 8, 2015, captive raised ,and moved to Wisconsin in the fall. However, instead of being taught to follow an ultralight for migration, she was released near other cranes and followed them when they migrated. She spent her first winter near Goose Pond in Southern Illinois and returned to Wisconsin the next spring. In the fall, she migrated to Wheeler where she is currently wintering. Her story is at (https://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/crane/15/BandingCodes_65D.html). (IMG_4737)

These four whooping cranes are in a field beside Priceville High School in Decatur Alabama, a few miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge where they are wintering. The brown-headed young bird, #69-16, called Zion, named after the National Park in celebration of the National Park Service’s centennial, was hatched and raised by foster parent whooping cranes at the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin in 2016. In the fall, she was released into the wild in Wisconsin near an adult pair, the goal being that she would associate with them and follow them when they migrated. She never really bonded with them, instead migrating to Wheeler for the winter with a group of sandhill cranes. At Wheeler, she has begun associating with other whooping cranes. (IMG_4736)

These seven whooping cranes are in a field beside Priceville High School in Decatur, Alabama, a couple of miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge where they are wintering. The brown-headed young bird, #69-16, called Zion, named after the National Park in celebration of the National Park Service’s centennial, was hatched and raised by foster parent whooping cranes at the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin in 2016. In the fall, she was released into the wild in Wisconsin near an adult pair, the goal being that she would associate with them and follow them when they migrated. She never really bonded with them, instead migrating to Wheeler for the winter with a group of sandhill cranes. At Wheeler, she has begun associating with other whooping cranes. (IMG_4733)

Part of a group of seven that were foraging in a field adjacent to Priceville High School. They are taking off because some students came out to practice at the athletic field near where they were. The location is a couple of miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge where they are wintering in Decatur, Alabama (IMG_4749)

Flying away from a field near Priceville High School, a couple of miles from Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, Alabama (IMG_4741)

Now that the trees are leafing out, getting a clear shot will be difficult. Taken at a rookery in the James D. Martin Wildlife Park, a Gadsden City Park that is wetland backwater of the Coosa River formed at the mouth of Black Creek by the impoundment of the river by a hydroelectric dam. (IMG_5419)

Part of a migrating flock of a couple hundred birds massing together to drive fish close to shore to catch and eat them on the Coosa River on a cold rainy day near Godfrey's Marina, off Wharton Bend Road, Rainbow City, Alabama. I count at least 44 birds in this photo. (IMG_0046)

Part of a migrating flock of a couple hundred birds massed together to drive fish close to shore to catch and eat them on the Coosa River near Godfrey's Marina, off Wharton Bend Road, on the Coosa River, Rainbow City, Alabama. I count at least 94 birds in this photo. (IMG_9965)

Brown Pelican, Orange Beach, Alabama, On the Gulf of Mexico (IMG_1068)