For the 13th year, Alabama Coastal BirdFest returns to welcome the fall migration of birds from all over North America. Since 2004, BirdFest has had participants from more than 25 states and Canada, who have come here for a chance to see local and migrating birds as they pass through our area on their way to winter homes in Central and South America. This year’s BirdFest is Wednesday–Saturday, October 5–8.

“The Alabama Gulf Coast is right in the middle of a flyway. There are many species that spend the summer in North America, some as far north as the Arctic Circle and then winter in Central and South America,” said BirdFest Founder John Borom. Birds that are about to cross the Gulf of Mexico spend time here preparing for that long journey, and birders from all over know that if they hope to see a bird they’ve never seen before, this is a good place and BirdFest is a good time to do that.”

BirdFest, a birding and nature festival, features more than 30 expertly guided tours to spots all around Mobile Bay giving participants a chance to see local and migratory birds as well as other creatures who share our world, especially dolphins and alligators. The festival includes walking tours, kayak and canoe paddles, boat rides, workshops, lectures, dinners, and more. Tours, workshops, and evening events require advance registration. The Bird & Conservation Expo, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, at the Halstead Amphitheater on the Faulkner Campus in downtown Fairhope, is a fun, free family day with live raptor and snake shows, a birdhouse build, and many hands-on activities for all ages. For more information on BirdFest or to register for a paid tour or event, visit www. AlabamaCoastalBirdFest.com. Registration is open from August 15 through September 23.