Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Follow the roads along the tops of the dikes to reach the various ponds and lakes. During
1992, the lakes on the northern end of the facility were being used and had little bird life; the
lakes in the middle and somewhat toward the southern end were the prime spots for birds at
that time. The opposite was the case in 1993.
Be prepared for mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and other bugs and for hot weather throughout
most of the year. Be ready to walk two or more miles in order to see the birds. A spotting
scope will be very useful to you, and you may be able to find a spot on a dike between two
ponds that will give you views of much of the wildlife without having to move.
MOBILE-TENSAW RIVERS DELTA
Where the Alabama and Tombigbee Rivers come together north of Mobile, a huge inland
delta is formed; this 250,000-acre area is bounded by the Tensaw River on the east and the
Mobile River on the west. Along and between these two rivers is a maze of watery bayou pas-
sages that surround the most remote and least developed hardwood bottomlands in Alabama.
Except for Interstate 65, a power line, and a railroad line, the only human structures in the
delta are fishing and hunting cabins. Most of the delta is owned by large timber companies
and they are steadily clearcutting much of this incredible treasure, but due to the work of the
Coastal Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy, some of the delta is being preserved.
Although the delta contains large amounts of good habitat for water birds and for nesting
swamp birds, getting into the delta to see the birds can be difficult. Driving down Interstate
65 toward Mobile will give you a good view of the delta, but stopping along the highway is
strictly impossible. A boat is the only practical way to explore the delta, and chartering a boat
is beyond the means of many birders. However, Wildland Expeditions' boat
Gator Bait
does
take people on two-hour excursions into part of the delta from the Chickasaw Marina. More
information about these trips can be had by calling 205-460-8206. As of this writing, trips
were being provided year-round at 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. The
Chickasaw Marina is located on SH 43, just south of the intersection with SH 158, two miles
east of I-65, exit 13.
For those who wish to see the delta from the land, there are a couple of easily accessible
points that will give you a chance to see both the forested portion and the sawgrass habitat at
the southern end of the delta where it meets Mobile Bay.
HISTORIC BLAKELEY STATE PARK
Located on the eastern side of the Tensaw River, Historic Blakeley State Park preserves
an important Civil War battlefield in Alabama. However, the 3,800 acres of this park also
provide good birding in the woods that are part of the delta. The park is on SH 225, about 6
miles north of Interstate 10, exit 35 (the SH 31 exit) and is 16 miles south of I-65, exit 31.
The entrance to the park is down a dirt road, and once inside the park, the road divides in
