Photo Credit: Joe Watts 2024
Letter from the Executive Director
Greetings all!
I just finished an early morning session of birding at Ruffner Mountain where our Programs Coordinator, Andrew Lydeard, and I were thrilled to see many flocks of colorful neotropical migrants. Alabama is a birder’s paradise! And we at Alabama Audubon are here to ensure it stays that way.
Our events calendar is brimming with opportunities to explore and learn with others who share your passion for nature. We have events for people of all backgrounds and abilities: field trips, outings, courses, guest speakers, international and domestic trips, and more. Check out our ever-growing events calendar and join us!
Since 2017, our coastal biologists have been protecting Alabama’s most vulnerable birds. This summer our team mapped and monitored breeding colonies, protected them with fences and signage, and taught beach visitors how to give shorebirds the space they need. We shepherded a record number of Snowy Plover hatchlings to flight age, color-banding four of them so we can track their movements.
Sadly, over 2400 birds die a minute in the US due to window collisions, but we are changing this through Project Safe Flight Alabama. Our volunteers are identifying the most dangerous buildings in Alabama’s largest cities, and we are working with buildings owners to apply window decals to minimize collisions. We’ll be expanding this program as we normalize the practice of making buildings safe for birds.
Two things make this exciting progress possible. The first is our highly talented and motivated staff—they are amazing! But more important is the financial support of our community. On behalf of our entire staff, we offer heart-felt thanks to all of you who are helping us protect Alabama’s birds and bring the joy of birding and nature to others. Thank you!
Working for our birds and the people who love them,
Congratulations, to our Board President Maggie O'Leary Amsler . Maggie has been inducted into the Explorers Club. Each year, The Explorers Club recognizes 50 extraordinary people who are doing remarkable work to promote science and exploration but remain under the radar and out of the limelight.
These 50 individuals are exploring, inspiring, and creating the future—the future of the planet, life upon it, and the boundless possibilities that await us all.
Only 14 people from Alabama have ever been selected- what an honor for Alabama Audubon to have such an amazing Board President!
We are proud to have you with us!
Welcome New Staff
Keith joins Alabama Audubon as the financial and administrative director. He is a nonprofit leader serving on the Board of Directors for the Alabama Association of Nonprofits. He has extensive experience as a trainer and consultant in grant writing, budgeting, and technology, and has been a grant panelist for organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts. Keith spent 14 years as Managing Director of Fort Worth Opera and was Interim Director of the Fort Worth Opera Studio. He holds a bachelor’s in education from Old Dominion University and a master’s from the Maryland Opera Studio, with a strong interest in education and arts leadership.
What Bird would you be and Why?
A Red-tailed Hawk because they fly so effortlessly.
Where can we find you in the wild?
I'm a homebody! So at home in the nest, cooking, reading, and listening to opera.
Allison Ciamarra joins Alabama Audubon as the Communications Coordinator, bringing experience of nonprofit management, education, and the arts. With experience working for several nonprofit organizations, she has developed a deep understanding of communications, program development, and community engagement. Previously, Allison served as an Academic Advisor, Instructor, and Program Manager at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She holds a Master of Education in Art and is currently pursuing a second Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration.
What bird would you be and why?
A Barn Owl because they are so mysterious looking and get to sleep a lot.
Where can we find you in the wild?
When I'm not home, I'm hiking, going to festivals, and art museums.
Photo by: UABz
Festival Fun 2024
By: Tim Higgins, Black Belt Coordinator
Our 4th Annual Black Belt Birding Festival, held August 2–4, 2024, was our biggest yet! Over 220 attendees from across the U.S. participated in 18 birding activities across Dallas, Hale, Perry, and Sumter counties, with over 500 event registrations—a 36% increase from last year. The festival kicked off with live blues music by Debbie Bond and the Alabama Blues Project at Project Horseshoe Farm in Greensboro, where conservation partners showcased their organizations.
Saturday’s birding trips included the first-ever tour across Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge, with Selma native Terry Chestnut sharing his experiences of Bloody Sunday and Civil Rights history. Additional trips took place at Perry Lakes Park, Payne Lake, and other key birding spots, including the Kite Show at Joe Farm, where Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites thrilled onlookers. Afternoon events included a Birds of Prey presentation by the Alabama Wildlife Center and a keynote address by Dr. Dwayne Estes on grassland preservation.
Community-led events added to the excitement, such as an art festival organized by Aaron Sanders Head at Sumac Cottage, featuring 11 regional artists. UAB art professor Douglas Baulos, along with student Matthew Ragsdale from Bloom Studio, engaged visitors and locals in painting a 'moveable mural' showcasing birds native to the Black Belt.
Photos by Henry Busby
With more than 90 bird species spotted, including Painted Buntings and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, the festival was a resounding success, generating $50,000 in local revenue.
Special thanks to photographer Damion Bankhead (@DamionBankHeadPhotos), singer-songwriter and birder Bonner Black (@BonnerBlack), and Colin Dobson, author of Field Guide to Hotspots and Birds in Illinois, for contributing to the festival’s success. We thank our volunteers, field trip leaders, and partners for making this year’s festival a hit!
We look forward to August 1–3, 2025!
Onlooker's enjoying the kite s flying at the Joe Farms. Learn more about the Joe Farm and their nature tours at: www.connectingwithbirdsandnaturetours.com
• Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association
• Alabama Power Foundation
• Bama Buzz
• Sweet Home Alabama
• Druid City Brewing
• Project Horseshoe Farm
Photos: Allison Ciamarra
Damion Bankhead, Bonner Black, Dr. R. Scot Duncan & Andrew Lydeard
A flock of wood stork circling ponds in the Black Belt! Picture by Andrew Lydeard
Coastal News
By: Lianne Koczur, Science & Conservation Director
The coastal bird breeding season is always a bit of a roller coaster ride. As we start finding the first Snowy Plover, nests in April we get excited and hopeful for a successful season. In May, the Least Terns and Black Skimmers start nesting in high numbers, and while it can be challenging to count hundreds to thousands of birds all packed together on nests, we still picture the hundreds of baby birds that could soon fill up the area. Around this time, we also see spring storms start filling the forecast, and we spend rainy days hoping eggs and chicks aren’t washed away by high tides and waves.
As summer vacation traffic to our coast increases, our thoughts shift to the human side of things, and bird stewards spend weekends on the beach mitigating disturbances to nesting sites by beach goers.
In June and July, we start to see our first fledglings, the year's hatchlings that are now capable of flight. The eggs and chicks made it through two months of heat, predators, people, dogs, and storms. They survived and as they take to the skies their chances of survival increase dramatically, and we can’t help but celebrate!
The 2024 nesting season threw us some curveballs and unique success stories along with it. At Snowy Plover nesting sites in Mobile County, we expanded our nest protection efforts which lead to increased hatching success. Even though we lost a few chicks, it was a record year for Snowy Plovers on Dauphin Island; there 7 confirmed Snowy Plover fledglings!
learn more about where these birds overwinter and where they will decide to go during upcoming breeding seasons.
Project Safe Flight
By: Lianne Koczur, Science & Conservation Director
In just 1.5 years we have accomplished a lot with our Project Safe Flight initiative. Each season we had over 20 volunteer monitors. To date they have conducted a total of 778 surveys and found 505 dead birds. Several injured birds were also brought to the Alabama Wildlife Center for rehabilitation.
We were also able to fix windows at 6 buildings in Birmingham, some enclosures at the Birmingham Zoo, and a building in Auburn. Fall monitoring is underway, and we have volunteers in 7 cities.
Dr. Koczur and board member, Cliff Martin finishing up the Birmingham offices windows. Thank you!
Bird Banding 2024
By: Lianne Koczur, Science & Conservation Director
We are using bird banding as a tool to monitor and better understand bird populations across the state. Our spring bird banding at Fort Morgan was a success, with 364 banded birds and 38 recaptures of previously banded birds . Two interesting recaptures were a Gray Catbird that was banded in May 2023 in Michigan and a Brown Thrasher that our team banded as an adult in 2018, making it at least 8 years old. We are now preparing for fall banding on Dauphin Island in early October.
This was our second year of MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) banding at Ruffner Mountain in collaboration with Jefferson County Greenways Commission. The MAPS program is a continent-wide effort, with hundreds of banding stations across the U.S. and Canada. We are currently 1 of 2 active stations in the state.
This summer we banded 113 birds of 18 species and recaptured 16 individuals that we banded last year. Our most common species this year was the Hooded Warbler, with 25 newly banded individuals.
Photos by: Lianne Koczur, Science & Conservation Director
Up Coming Events
2025 Bird of the Year: Fundraising Party
We are so excited to announce Alabama Audubon's 2nd Fundraising event. FEBUARY 1st, 2025. We will be revealing the mysterious Bird of the Year for 2025!
Who will our feather friend be?
Join us for a night of fun, food, art and the reveal of the bird of the year 2025!
Fall & Winter Events
November 9th- Trussville Greenway
November 16th- Bird Call Contest
November 15-16- Eufaula 2 Day Trip
November 23th- Duck River Reservoir
December 7th- Wheeler NWR
December 21th- Christmas Count
January 11- Wheeler Crane Festival
January 25th- Guntersville SP
February 8th- Coleman Lake/Talladega
February 15th- GBBC @ Bham Zoom
March 1st- Harrison lake/Montevallo
March 15th- Avondale Park
March 29th- Oak Mountain State Park
Check out our events page online for more details
It's been just over a year since I joined Alabama Audubon as Programs Coordinator, and I've truly found my flock. This past year, we expanded our weekend field trips with the Nature at Noon series, small-group outings, new guest lectures, and online courses. Highlights included Red Crossbills, endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Golden Eagle sightings, and Little Brown Birds.
As temperatures drop, our fall and winter events are ramping up. Notable fall trips include Talladega, Eastaboga Fish Hatchery, Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge, and duck labs at Harrison Lake and Guntersville. Be sure to check our events page for updates—I’m always planning new adventures like a winter trip to Reelfoot Lake, TN, and a spring trip to Arizona.
Happy birding, Andrew Lydeard
Peregrine Falcon at Neely Henry Dam
Birders helping release a Northern Parula after banding at Paint Rock Research Center
Help Alabama Audubon Fly High!
As 2024 draws to a close, our Bird of the Year is preparing for its final flight.
We invite you to help Alabama Audubon soar to new heights by contributing to the Annual Fund, continuing to support our mission to protect and celebrate Alabama’s birds and their habitats.
Alabama Audubon wouldn’t be here without your support. Every gift is an investment in the future of Alabama’s birds and the wild places they call home. Help Alabama Audubon soar to new heights by contributing to the Annual Fund!
Every donation makes a difference, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support.
Thank you!
Sincerely, Alabama Audubon
Travel opportunities with Alabama Audubon
Domestic Travel
Travel with Program Coordinator Andrew Lydeard
Birding Bus Tours 2025
January 18th- Wheeler
Febuary 27th- Black Belt
Back by popular demand, we are very excited to reinstate our birding bus tours!
Enjoy birding from the comfort of a seat. This is a perfect way to explore nature in comfort, whether you're a seasoned birder or a first-timer. Grab your binoculars, sit back, and let the birding come to you!
International
Mark your calendars for International trip to Cuba for 2025 March 16-23!
Alabama Audubon
P.O. BOX 130819
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35213
Contact Us
Phone: (205) 719-3678
info@alaudubon.org
FOR EACH TAG ISSUED, WE RECEIVE $41.25
Every time you drive down the road, you will be supporting our mission to promote conservation and education by increasing awareness of our organization across Alabama.
You can get the license plate anytime, regardless of your renewal month, and you can have it personalized for free!
Our Board
Maggie Amsler, President
Lois Woodward, President-Elect
Greg Harber, Secretary
Lori Oswald, Treasurer
Barry Fleming, VP Conservation & Science
Heather McCalley, VP Development & Membership
Jonah Cohan, VP Education & Programs
Matt Hunter, VP Field Trips
AT LARGE
Anette Kinderman
Cliff Martin
Jacqueline Gray Miller
Linda Neighbors
Stephannie Nixon
Rashidah Farid-Tilghman
Joe Watts
Michelle Wooten
Follow us: ALAUDUBON
ALAUDUBON.ORG
Editor/Design: Allison Ciamarra
Contact: allisonc@alaudubon.org
Our Staff
R. Scot Duncan PhD, Exective Director
Dennis Bennett, Director of Development
Lianne Koczur PhD, Science & Conservation Director
Keith Wolfe-Hughes, Financial & Administration Director
Andrew Lydeard, Programs Coordinator
Allison Ciamarra, Communications Coordinator
Tim Higgins, Black Belt Coordinator
Cortney Weatherby, Coastal Outreach Manager
Olivia Morpeth, Coastal Biologist
Shanell Dock, Seasonal Coastal Biologist
