The boardwalk of the Estuarium at the
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
circles an area across from
Fort Gaines.
Be sure to pay a visit inside the estuarium for a close up look at
the plant and animal water life of south alabama. Take your kids! The aquarium
areas are set up for easy viewing by children and some of the animals can be
"petted". Our family loves this place and makes at least a couple of visits
every time we go.
By the way, if you aren't sure, an estuary is an area where
fresh water from river systems mixes with the salt water from the sea. The
great
river systems of the Mobile-Tensaw Delta empty into the Gulf of Mexico here at
the
Mississippi Sound.
Directions:
The Estuarium is located east of the 3-way stop. Take a
left onto Bienville after crossing the bridge onto the island and travel to
where
there is a parking lot on each side of the road. The fort will be on the right
and the Estuarium will be on your left.
Estuarium Birding:
Walking the boardwalk from the Estuarium parking lot, you will see an area of
wildflower growth. This area is great for many types of warblers, kingbirds
(eastern, gray), gnatcatchers, many sparrows and also for great numbers of
migrating butterflies.
The boardwalk takes you nearby an area of small sandy shore, rock jetties, and
shallow inlets. This area is great for herons (great blue, little blue, green,
tricolored), egrets (great, snowy), sandpipers, gulls (laughing, herring, ring-
billed, occasional Franklin's), and plovers.
Pictures:
Birds:
Landscape:
View of the estuarium from the boardwalk
Boardwalk wildflowers
More boardwalk
wildflowers
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If you have more information, a comment, correction, or a picture
that you would like me to post just
email me
.
I'll give credit to the photographer if I post your picture.