Bald Eagle by Bob Farley.
January Field Trip: Guntersville Lake and the Guntersville waterfront Saturday, January 21, 2017, 7:00 a.m.

The deep waters of Guntersville Lake and the Guntersville waterfront are excellent places to search for waterfowl in winter. Thousands of ducks of a variety of species are to be expected, with a good number of loons (common, mostly, but pacific and red-throated are possible, too) and grebes can be expected.

We will spend the morning birding at various sites along the Guntersville waterfront, on Sunset Drive and the AL Hwy 69 causeway. Bring a picnic lunch with you, and if it can be arranged, we will have lunch inside the community center on the lakefront. Following lunch, and if enough folks are interested, we’ll make the drive to the north side of the Guntersville Dam to view Bald Eagles at their nest, and perhaps locate a Red-breasted Nuthatch in the pines near there – we’ll have to listen for their nasal, kazoo-like “toot” calls.

Meeting Place and Travel Plans: Our meeting place is the parking lot at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (please park at the far end). We will leave at 7:00 a.m. and caravan to Guntersville via AL Hwy 79. We will reconvene at the McDonald’s in Guntersville at 8:30 a.m. should anyone wish to meet the group there. This will be an all-day trip, so bring a picnic lunch, drinks and snacks. Remember, weather this time of year can be changeable, so dressing in layers is advised. Come prepared with a full tank of gas and bring your binoculars and spotting scopes. For those who wish, supper may be shared at a local restaurant at day’s end. Alabama Birding Trails website and GPS information:

http://alabamabirdingtrails.com/sites/guntersville-peninsula/ (GPS: N 34.3630,
W 86.2916)
Trip leader: Greg Harber, 205-251-2133, home/evenings, or 205-807-8055, day of field trip only.