Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
park. Marbled godwit and upland sandpiper have also been seen, particularly during spring.
I spotted two long-billed curlews in February, 1992, in the field north of the parking lot for
the battleship. This field can also have large numbers of gulls, western sandpipers, red knots,
killdeer, and some fish crows.
Long-billed Curlew
In addition to the battleship, the park contains a submarine, a B-52 bomber, and a number
of other, smaller planes and navy equipment. This is a good place to combine a visit to his-
toric war machines with some birding.
BLAKELY ISLAND
As a large, somewhat polluted industrial area, Blakely Island seems an unlikely place to
bird, but the state-owned portion of this island in Mobile is a wonderful birding spot. The
state docks department controls the northern end of Blakely Island, and this area is a series
of diked ponds used as a disposal site for dredging wastes and for various types of wastewa-
ter. Because the property is an active industrial site, its character and its suitability for birds
changes regularly. However, due to its large size, there are usually several ponds within the
facility that have had time to revegetate and become suitable for the birds that gather there.
Blakely Island is the one spot in Alabama and Mississippi where black-necked stilt is vir-
tually guaranteed to be seen, as a large number nest here. Mottled duck is also a breeder
here. Wintering ducks gather by the hundreds and often linger well into early spring; north-
