Coastal Birding Trail and North Alabama Birding Trail
Alabama currently has two established birding trails, the Coastal Birding Trail and the North Alabama Birding Trail. The Coastal BirdingTrail includes the excellent birding sites of Dauphin Island, Fort Morgan, and Gulf Shores. To get complete information for this site go to Coastal Birding Trail The North Alabama Birding Trail includes Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and many other excellent birding stops. Click here for complete information North Alabama Birding Trail
Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail (opening May 2012)
The Alabama Tourism Department is working with the Birmingham Audubon Society to develop a 9-county system of birding trails for Central Alabama, to be known as the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail. Counties covered are: Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Talladega. This will eventually become part of a state-wide system of birding trails covering every Alabama County. The Birmingham Audubon Society Birding Trails Committee has researched and proposed over 40 sites, which are currently under consideration. The new Birding Trail will be officially open in May 2012. Here is a sample of some of the proposed sites that you can visit right now:
Borden Springs Trailhead, Chief Ladiga Trail
This is a rails-to-trails walking trail connecting Anniston AL to the Georgia State Line and traversing through Calhoun and Cleburne County. One of the trailheads is near the historic settlement of Borden Springs, a turn of the century resort with mineral springs furnishing cool water escape from summertime heat. As a whole, the trail passes through wetlands and streams, pastures and forests. Through the section around Borden Springs, Terrapin Creek may be viewed from restored bridges. Wooded stretches are productive for forest species.
Habitat Types: Forested riparian zone along creek. Habitats include: open fields (agriculture), upland forest, bottom land hardwood, Terrapin Creek, lake/swamp. All habitats, except for the ag/open fields, are on Forest Service land. This is a beautiful stretch of the Chief Ladiga that crosses Terrapin Creek/South Fork Terrapin Creek four times and is flat/paved.
Site Access Information:
Admission rates: Free of charge
Hours of operation: 24 hours a day
Seasonality of site: Best for migrants in spring and fall
Handicap accessibility: Full
Bald Rock Overlook--Cheaha State Park
Bald Rock Overlook is reached by the Doug Ghee Accessible Trail, a very thoughtfully and beautifully constructed boardwalk for those who have impairments—and equally enjoyable by all. It floats through open forests over quartzite outcroppings to a dramatic view of the surrounding mountains and the valley below. Frequent shelters with benches and informational signage along the boardwalk make a comfortable trip for even those not up to normal hiking. It is an excellent area for watching south-bound hawks in the fall.
Habitat Types: forested slopes, ridgeline flyway
Site Access Information:
Hours of operation: 7 A.M. until sundown
Seasonality of site: Best for spring migrants and hawk watching during fall migration. Worth visiting year round.
Handicap accessibility: Full
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Birding/Nature 
