Alabama Birdlife is a periodic journal of the Alabama Ornithological Society which publishes research reports and short communications in the field of ornithology.  Articles relating to bird biology, behavior, habitat, distribution and conservation are published.  Publication in Alabama Birdlife is open to all AOS members. The editor is Eric Soehren, Wehle Land Conservation Center, 4819 Pleasant Hill Road, Midway, AL 36053.  (334) 529-3003;  esoehren@gmail.com

Note: The photos shown below appear in the seasonal sightings columns in Alabama Birdlife. They reflect some of the best images of significant observations during that period. The article gives explanations of significance for each.

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Winter 2023

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  Red-billed Tropicbird (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  Magnificent Frigatebird (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  Piping Plover (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  A Black Skimmer adult chases another skimmer's chick. (Photo by Andrew Haffenden)
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  Common Nighthawk (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  American Oystercatchers (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  Black Tern (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  Least Tern chick and egg (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  After a Black Skimmer chick settles in Least Tern nest, the adult tern defends its nest while the adult skimmer defends its chick. (Photo Andrew Haffenden)
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  Snowy Plover with chick (Photo Andrew Haffenden)

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Summer 2023

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  Bonapartes Gull 10 Jun 2023 west Gulf Shores Baldwin Co AL Douglas Hamm.
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  Chipping Sparrow 14 Jul 2023 west Mobile Mobile Co AL Patsy Russo
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  Limpkin 02 Sep 2023 west Mobile Mobile Co AL Eric Haskell
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  Marbled Godwit 28 Jul 2023 Pelican Pen Dauphin I Mobile Co AL Hayley Keevan
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  Neotropic Cormorant with Double-crested Cormorants 29 Jul 2023 Wheeler Dam Lawrence Co AL Daniel Redwine
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  Roseate Spoonbill 16 Jul 2023 E of Leighton Colbert Co AL Bala hennupati
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  Sandhill Crane 16 Jul 2023 E of Leighton Colbert Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Scissor-tailedFlycatcher ad young 16 Jul 2023 NofFord City Colbert Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Tropical-Couchs Kingbird 16 Jun 2023 west Mobile_Mobile Co AL Cynthia Freeman

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Spring 2023 

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  Western Meadowlark 25 Mar 2023 Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Howard EHorne
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  Vermilion Flycatcher adult male 11 Mar 2023 Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Cynthia Freeman
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  Hooded Oriole adultmale 04 May 2023 Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Cory Harper
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  Wilsons Phalarope alternate female 07 May 2023 Wof Leighton Colbert Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Black-legged Kittiwake first cycle 23 Mar 2023 DauphinIsland Mobile Co AL MikePeczynski E
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  Willet alternate Western 04 May 2023 White Plains Calhoun Co AL Skip Smith
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  Clay-colored Sparrow 29 Apr 2023 Saginaw Shelby Co AL Nishant KC
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  White-winged Dove 02 Mar 2023 Auburn Lee Co AL Richard Beil
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  Pomarine Jaeger adult 12 Mar 2023 Pelican Pen Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Lawrence F Gardella
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  BlackScoter immature male 04 Mar 2023 DauphinIsland Causeway MobileCo AL Amanda Keevan E
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  Painted Bunting female type 11 May 2023 Monte Sano SP Madison Co AL Bala Chennupati

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Winter, 2022-2023

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  Shiny Cowbird male 27Jan2023 Gulf Shores Baldwin Co AL Janice Neitzel
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  Groove-billed Ani 05Dec2022 Gulf SP Baldwin Co AL Dee Scott
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  Rose-breasted Grosbeak female-type 24Feb2023 Fort Morgan Peninsula Baldwin Co AL Joe Thomassen
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  Baltimore Oriole adult male 12Feb2023 Madison Madison Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Least Flycatcher 19Jan2023 Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL Greg D Jackson
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  Yellow-headed Blackbird 12Feb2023 Bon Secour Baldwin Co AL Grace Simms
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  Limpkin 10Dec2022 west Mobile Mobile Co AL Patsy Russo
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  Bullocks Oriole adult male continued from fall 24Feb2023 Foley Baldwin Co AL Kathy Hicks
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  White-tailed Hawk 18Jan2023 Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL Franklin Chalk
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  Short-eared Owl 06Feb2023 Eufaula NWR Barbour Co AL John McMahan
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  NorthernSaw-whet Owl 01Dec2022 Shorter Macon Co AL Eric C Soehren
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  Black-and-white Warbler male 13Feb2023 Hope Hull Montgomery Co AL Steven Brooks

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Fall, 2022

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  Roseate Spoonbill juvenile 12 Aug 2022 Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Andrew Haffenden
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  Lesser Black-backed Gull 3Cx3 18 Sep 2022 Guntersville_Marshall Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Henslow's Sparrow 01 Nov 2022 Paint Rock Jackson Co AL Amber Hart
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  Cape May Warbler adult male #1 11 Oct 2022 Huntsville Madison Co AL Charles W Boley
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  Least Bittern 22 Oct 2022 Wheeler NWR Limestone Co AL William Galloway
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  Flammulated Owl 30 Oct 2022 Orange Beach Baldwin Co AL JulieL esznar
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  Western Kingbird 25 Sep2022 Birmingham Airport Jefferson Co AL Greg J Harber
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  Olive-sided Flycatcher 15 Aug 2022 Monte Sano SP Madison Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Mexican Violetear 03 Oct 2022 East of Abbeville Henry Co AL Fred Bassett
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  Black-bellied Whistinig Duck pair with downy young 06 Aug 2022 Hacoma Geneva Co AL Odis H Johnson
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  Yellow-green Vireo 30 Sep 2022 Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL Augusta Herre
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  Harris's Sparrow immature 27 Oct 2022 Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL Kathy Hicks
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  Groove-billed Ani 13 Oct 2022 Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL Kathy Hicks
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  Great Blue Heron_ white morph 19 Sep 2022 Gulf SP Baldwin Co AL Kim Miller
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  Painted Bunting female-type 11 Nov 2022 Wood Duck Heritage Preserve Opelika Lee Co AL Jared Schiller
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  Bronzed Cowbird male 08 Oct 2022 Bon Secour Baldwin Co AL Grace Simms

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Summer, 2022

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  Sciscor-tailed Flycatcher male 09Jun2022 Dancy Quad Pickens Co AL Greg D Jackson
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  Neotropic Cormorant 22Jul2022 Wheeler Dam Lawrence Co  AL Daniel Redwine
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  Roseate Spoonbill juv 31Jul2022 Choccolocco Park Oxford  Calhoun Co AL Doug Norwood 
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  Red-breasted Merganser fem-type 04Jun2022 Wheeler Dam Lawrence Co AL Grace Simms
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  Greater White-fronted Goose 29Jun22 west Mobile Mobile Co AL Hayley Keevan
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  Surf Scoter male 02Jun2022 S of Bayou La Batre Mobile Co AL Marybeth Lima

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Spring, 2022

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  Burrowing Owl 02 Mar 2022 Gulf SP Baldwin Co AL Olivia Morpeth
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  Tennessee Warbler male 14 Mar 2022 Hoover Jefferson Co AL Sandy & Bob Sipe
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  Long-billed Curlew 31 Mar 2022 Pelican Pen Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL Patsy Russo
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  Limpkin 25May 2022 Hatchechubbee Creek Park Russell Co AL Geoff E Hill
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  Black-headed Grosbeak male 13 Apr 2022 Southeast of Huntsville Madison Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Horned Grebe 16 Mar 2022 North of Northport Tuscaloosa Co AL Pamela Green
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  Olive-sided Flycatcher 08 May 2022 Madison Madison Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  American Golden-Plover  27 Mar 2022 West of Leighton Colbert Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Black-necked Stilt 07 May 2022 east Muscle Shoals Colbert Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  American Bittern 25 Apr 2022 Eufaula NWR Barbour Co AL Alan Van Norman
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  Black-legged Kittiwake first-cycle 19 Mar 2022 Magnolia Springs Baldwin Co AL Bala Chennupati
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  Black-headed Grosbeak male 03 April 2022 Dothan Houston Co AL David Plunkett

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Fall, 2021

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  Pomarine Jaeger imm 01 Sep 2021, Guntersville Marshall Co AL, photo by Bala Chennupati
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  Ash-throated Flycatcher 18 November, 2021 EofSummerdale Baldwin Co, AL Photo by Rick L. Kittinger
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  Bronzed Cowbird 02 Nov 2021, Bon Secour Baldwin Co, AL photo by Patsy Russo
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  Long-tailed Jaeger juv 01 Sep 2021 Guntersville Marshall Co AL, photo by Bala Chennupati
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  Black-headed Grosbeak imm male 30 Oct 2021, Fort Morgan Peninsula Baldwin Co AL, photo by Janice Neitzel
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  Long-billed Curlew 20 Oct 2021, Bayou La Batre Mobile Co AL, photo by Patsy Russo
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  Western Meadowlark 17 Oct 2021, Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL, photo by Patsy Russo
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  Brown Booby juv 25 Sep 2021, Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL, photo by Marybeth Lima
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  Black-legged Kittiwake 18 Nov 2021 Pelican Peninsula, Dauphin Island, Mobile Co AL Photo by Cynthia Freeman
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  Sooty Tern juv 04 Sep 2021, Wheeler Dam Lawrence-Lauderdale Cos AL, photo by Bala Chennupati
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  Clay-colored Sparrow 26 Sep 2021 Birmingham Jefferson Co AL, photo by Greg J Harber
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  Yellow-green Vireo 21 Sep 2021, Orange Beach Baldwin Co AL, photo by Kyle Shepard
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  Wilson's Plover 17 Aug 2021, W of Florence Lauderdale Co AL, photo by Bala Chennupati
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  Brown Noddy 30 Aug 2021, Dauphin Island MobileCo AL, photo by Andrew Haffenden
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  Red-necked Phalarope ad 01 Sep 2021, Fort Morgan Baldwin Co AL, photo by Janice Neitzel

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Summer, 2021

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  Redhead_male_16Jul2021_Maplesville_ChiltonCo_AL_JoeWujcik
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  RoseateSpoonbill_ juv_15Jul2021_EofPiedmont_CalhounCo_AL_SkipSmith
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  SootyTern_juv_19Jun2021_PelicanPeninsula_DauphinIsland_MobileCo_AL_MarybethLima
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  ReddishEgret_whitemorphx2_24Jul2021_PelicanPeninsula_DauphinIsland_ MobileCo_AL_GraceSimms2
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  PineSiskin_06Jun2021_Homewood_JeffersonCo_AL_GraceSimms.jpg
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  LarkSparrow_ad_04Jul2021_FortMorgan_BaldwinCo_AL_FranklinChalk
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  LaughingGull_2C_07Jun2021_Oxford_CalhounCo_AL_SkipSmith
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  AmericanAvocet_alt_16Jul2021_Maplesville_ChiltonCo_AL_JoeWujcik
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  BlackbelliedWhistlingDuck_29Jun2021_WofLeighton_ColbertCo_AL_GraceSimms
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  MarbledGodwit_alt_07Jun2021_PelicanPeninsula_DauphinIsland_MobileCo_AL_ElieTabet
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  Limpkin_29Jun2021_MeaherSP_BaldwinCo_AL_JoeThomassen
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  Whimbrel_07Jun2021_PelicanPeninsula_DauphinIsland_MobileCo_AL_DavidChernack
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  YellowheadedBlackbird_15Jul2021DauphinIsland_MobileCo_AL_Sabrina Cobb (2)

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Spring, 2021

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  Black-necked Stilt 051521 Swan Creek WMA Limestone Co AL BalaChennupati.jpg
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  White-crowned Pigeon ad 032721 Barnwell Baldwin Co AL GregDJackson-4435.jpg
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  Yellow-headed Blackbird imm male 050321 Ft Morgan Baldwin Co AL JaniceNeitzel (4)
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  Painted Bunting male 051721 Swan Creek WMA Limestone Co AL HerbertLewis Cr.jpg
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  Red-necked Phalarope alt fem 15 May 2021 Swan Creek WMA Limestone Co AL BalaChennupati (3) Cr SH.jpg
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  Red-necked Phalarope 052221 Pelican Peninsula Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL AndrewHaffenden Cr.jpg
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  Willet 042521 Maplesville Chilton Co AL JoeWujcik.jpg
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  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 050321 Cypress Cr W of Florence Lauderdale Co AL BobButler.jpg
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  Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 050721 W of Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Co AL PamelaRGreen Cr SH.jpg
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  Inca Dove 030421 Washington Co AL JeanKSParnell.jpg
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  White-winged Scoter fem 031621 Tennessee River Madison Co AL BrianBohannon Cr SH.jpg
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  American Avocet 042121 Auburn Lee Co AL AmandaCarpenter.jpg
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  Shiny Cowbird male 050121 Dauphin Island Mobile Co AL HowardEHorne_0055.JPG
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  Clay-colored Sparrow 032021 Auburn Lee Co AL AlexMerchlinsky Cr SH.jpg

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Winter 2020-21

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  Bullock's Oriole imm male # 2 020421 Foley Baldwin Co AL KathyHicks
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  Ash-throated Flycatcher 013021 Belforest Baldwin Co AL KarenChiasson
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  Summer Tanager fem-type 021321 w Mobile Mobile Co AL PatsyRusso
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  Bronzed Cowbird ad fem 021321 Foley Baldwin Co AL EmmaRhodes
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  Painted Bunting ad male 021921 Slocomb Geneva Co AL JacobLynn_R6_3772 Cr N-
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  Western Tanager 021821 Montrose Baldwin Co AL BillSummerour
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  Broad-tailed Hummingbird imm male 041621 Daphne Baldwin Co AL DuaneAMiller
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  Buff-bellied Hummingbird 120320 Daphne Baldwin Co AL KarenChiasson
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  Glaucous Gull 1C 121820 Guntersville Marshall Co AL CharlesHGrisham
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  Black-headed Grosbeak imm male 021421 Montrose Baldwin Co AL BillSummerour 1 Cr SH N-
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  Lesser Goldfinch imm male Mobile Mobile Co AL MarilynSteelman_D851030 SH Sh N- Cr3
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  Black-and-white Warbler 121820 Eufaula NWR Barbour Co AL GeoffEHill
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  Clay-colored Sparrow 010221 SE of Foley Baldwin Co AL KarenChiasson
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  Anhinga 010121 Wheeler NWR Limestone Co AL MatthewLNiemiller D56A0441-Edit.jpg
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  Say's Phoebe 011321 N of Eufaula Barbour Co AL JoeWujcik (3)
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  Ross's Goose 022621 Alabaster Shelby Co AL JoeWujcik

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Fall, 2020 

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  Clay-colored Sparrow 25 Sept 2020, Bon Secour, Baldwin Co, Stephanie Pluscht
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  Brown Booby (imm.) 01 Nov 2020, Pelican Pen., Dauphin I, Mobile Co, AL, Eric Haskell
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  Red-billed Tropicbird 29 Oct 2020, Opelika, Lee Co, AL, Jeananne Allgood
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  Inca Dove 02 Sept 2020, Ft Morgan Pen., Baldwin Co, AL, Janice Neitzel
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  Ross's Goose 25 Nov 2020, Montgomery, Montgomery Co, AL, James White
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  Buff-bellied Hummingbird 23 Nov 2020, Foley, Baldwin Co., AL, Karen Chiasson
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  Swainson's Hawk (imm.) 02 Nov 2020, E of Grand Bay, Mobile Co, AL, Brent Eanes
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  Vermilion Flycatcher (male)25 Nov 2020, E of Summerdale, Baldwin Co, AL, Kathy Hicks
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  Couch's Kingbird 27 Oct 2020, Fairhope, Baldwin Co, Karen Chiasson
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  American Avocet, 22 Oct 2020, Oak Mtn SP, Shelby Co., AL, Kelly Ezell
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  Black-throated Grey Warbler (ad male) 13 Oct 2020, Ft Morgan, Baldwin Co, AL, Julie Shieldcastle
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  Warbling Vireo 16 Sept 2020, Monte Sano SP, Madison Co, AL,02 Oc Bala Chennupati
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  Bell's Vireo 30 Sept 2020, Ft Morgan Pen., Baldwin Co, AL, Franklin Chalk
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  White-winged Scoter 31 Oct 2020, W of Florence, Lauderdale Co, AL, Bala Chennupati
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  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 18 Aug 2020, E of Muscle Shoals, Colbert Co., AL, Bala Chennupati
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  Say's Phoebe 15 Oct 2020, Dauphin I, Mobile Co, Andrew Haffenden
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  Black-whiskered Vireo 26 Aug 2020, Ft Morgan, Baldwin Co, T.J. Zenzal
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  Olive-sided Flycatcher 30 Sept 2020, Monte Sano SP, Madison Co, AL, Bala Chennupati
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  Bullock's Oriole (imm. male) 23 Nov 2020, Foley, Baldwin Co, Lawrence F. Gardella
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  Blackpoll Warbler 11 Oct 2020, Wheeler Dam, Lawrence Co., AL, Bala Chennupati
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  Vermilion Flycatcher (female)11 Nov 2020, E of Summerdale, Baldwin Co, AL, Karen Chiasson
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  Red-necked Grebe 01 Dec 2020, Wheeler NWR, Limestone Co, AL,16 Sept Bala Chennupati
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  Horned Lark Nov 2020 SW of Foley, Baldwin Co, AL, Karen Chiasson
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  Wood Stork 22 Sept 2020, Saginaw, Shelby Co, AL, Joe Wujcik
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  White-faced Ibis 02 Oct 2020, Ft Morgan, Baldwin Co, AL, Karen Chiasson
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  Yellow Warbler 26 Nov 2020, Saginaw, Shelby Co, AL, Sandy and Bob Sipe

Alabama Birdlife Photographs, Spring/Summer 2020

Alabama Birdlife Archive

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Alabama Birdlife Historic Archive

The archive below provides access to older issues of Alabama Birdlife.

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