A green anole (Anolis carolinensis) photobombed the blooms of the Alabama state wildflower, oakleaf hydrangea (hydrangea quercifolia). This lizard was giving us some serious side-eye!
Turkey Creek Native Plant Sale on May 7th!
Make plans to shop Turkey Creek Nature Preserve’s Spring Native Plant Sale on Saturday, May 7th, 10am - 4pm at the Turkey Creek Pavilion.
Need a nudge for a cool plant to buy? See Manager, Charles Yeager’s favorite plant and why it is an excellent choice for an Alabama landscape. A plant list and more information about the event can be found on their website at: https://turkeycreeknp.com/spring-2022-native-plant-sale/
Please Remember to Leash Your Dog
Thank you to Ruffner visitors, J'lah and Khloe, for keeping Sam on a leash while hiking the trails.
Ruffner Mountain welcomes all dogs to enjoy the trails! However, it is important to make sure they are leashed at all times.
Why does my dog need to be on a leash?
1.) Keeping your dog on a leash keeps your pup safe from hidden dangers in the woods. Dogs like to sniff and investigate things on the sides of trails. However, there may be wildlife that isn’t too happy about getting a dog nose in the face, poisonous mushrooms, ticks, or even poison ivy – which can get on your dog’s coat and then get on you.
2.) It keeps other visitors safe. Not all people are dog people. We want everyone to have an enjoyable experience on the trails. Keeping your dog on a leash keeps unwanted human interaction to a minimum.
3.) Wildlife displacement. When we walk in the woods, wildlife is disturbed and generally moves away from us. When we walk in the woods with a dog, wildlife will move away almost double what they would move when it’s just a human alone, and when a dog is off of a leash, wildlife tends to scatter from the area in a panic, creating unnecessary stress. We aim to keep Ruffner as a sanctuary for native wildlife species that don’t have anywhere else to go. Continually walking dogs off-leash may disperse them into places where they aren’t welcome – like roads.
4.) And, finally, it’s the law. The city of Birmingham has a leash law for animals in public spaces.
Local Spring Events
Spring is a busy season in Birmingham—
Check out these upcoming events and mark your calendar!
Click the links below for more details:
Turkey Creek BioBlitz—April 22 - April 23
Wild & Scenic Film Festival—April 23 - April 24
Camp Fletcher BioBlitz—April 29 - April 30
City Nature Challenge—April 29 - May 2
Alabama Audubon Spring Bird Count—April 30
Red Mountain Wine Down—May 1
Turkey Creek Native Plant Sale—May 7
Village Creek BioBlitz—May 14 - May 15
Vulcan Park Walking Tour —May 15
Habitat Garden Club Volunteers Needed
Join us!
Every Tuesday, volunteers with the Habitat Garden Club get together and work from 9 until noon while we have fun learning about native plants and observing the insects and birds inhabiting the gardens. Each week we have specific target weeds and tasks that flow with the natural rhythms of the habitat gardens. Tasks include weeding, planting, pruning, and collecting seeds for propagation.
All skill levels welcome. If you have any questions, email Michelle Reynolds at coverings@bham.read.com
Swallowtail Butterfly Sightings
The swallowtail butterflies were out this weekend! An excellent online resource for identifying butterflies in Alabama is the Alabama Butterfly Atlas. Find beautiful pictures and in-depth information as well as native host plants and landscaping tips by clicking on each listed species.
Pictured below: pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) on mountain azalea (Rhododendron canescens), eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on scarlet buckeye (Aesculus pavia), and eastern tiger swallowtail on woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata).
Online Spring Plant Sale is LIVE!
Starting today, Saturday, April 2nd through Sunday, April 3rd, you can shop for native plants online here: and schedule your pick-up date between Tuesday, April 5th - Saturday, April 9th after ordering.
Here's how it works:
Step 1: Select your plants, enter payment information, and checkout. You will be required to enter a shipping address; however, pickup is the only available option.
Step 2: Schedule your pick-up. Once your payment is complete, you will receive a confirmation email that includes a link to SignUp Genius in order to schedule your pick-up time (Don't forget to complete the form!)
Step 3: Pick up your plants during your selected pick-up time (See Step 2 above) at 1214 81st Street South, Birmingham, AL 35206 (Ruffner Mountain greenhouse near the Nature Center, don't worry - we'll have directional signage!)
Grow natives!
