A sign encourages visitors to be quiet near LTNA’s bird blind at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve. Photo credit: LTNA
Your eBirding data helps create tools that can be used to further conservation, inspire support, and inform ecological management strategies. eBird in Action is a segment which shares the conservation stories made possible because of your contributions. This edition comes from the Cornell Lab’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative (LTBCI).
“If you build it, they will come,” says Hallie Porter, development director at Land Trust of North Alabama (LTNA). “We don’t have to do much to promote our bird blind, as word spreads like fire in the birding community when a unique species is posted on eBird,” explains Porter.
An “army of volunteers” helped build the blind, notes Porter. They also helped Porter apply for a Cornell Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative small grant in 2021, which provided funding for the project. One of these volunteers, Bob Goss, inspired the idea for the project when he approached Porter about the small grant opportunity. Yet another volunteer shared information about LTNA’s Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve, telling Porter about the tremendous number and variety of birds that had been observed at the eBird hotspot.
Local birders kept pointing LTNA staff to the abundance and diversity of birds at Chapman Mountain, which was demonstrated by eBird checklists submitted at the site. Many species listed as vulnerable or near threatened by the IUCN Red List, including Cerulean Warbler, Rusty Blackbird, Golden-winged Warbler, and Chimney Swift, have been documented at the site.
Partially because there are several different habitats adjacent to each other at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve, the location attracts many species—especially during migration periods. It’s also an ideal site for a bird blind because it has a pavilion with bathrooms, making it one of LTNA’s go-to places for public programs.
What started as a small project grew during the construction phase, with an expansion of both the blind itself and the water feature that attracts birds to the area. The project has also led to partnerships with new volunteers and organizations, building momentum with each person who visits the blind, and becoming popular enough to now be listed as a site on Alabama Birding Trails, a website that highlights the best locations for birding in the state.
A bird blind at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve allows visitors to observe birds in their natural habitat. Photo credit: LTNA
Once LTNA secured funding for the project and had an established relationship with a core group of volunteers, connections with other birders came naturally. “Birders do a lot of word of mouth,” notes Porter. One of those connections started a partnership with a researcher who now does bird banding at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve a few times a year, adding to the educational opportunities at the demonstration site. Another partnership has evolved with a botanist from Alabama A&M University, who is working to establish native plants around the blind to attract more birds.
The bird blind is also broadening LTNA’s base, attracting families with young children and older adults who come just to see what bird species are visiting. Located a few hundred feet from the pavilion at the site, the blind is relatively accessible. “Anyone can visit anytime, all year round, to see something phenomenal,” says Porter. Many people have been visiting this season to see a Screech Owl who has taken up residence near the water feature.
Visitors watch for birds from behind LTNA’s blind at Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve. Photo credit: LTNA
“The blind helps people see what we have and begin to think about protecting it,” notes Porter. When it comes to biodiversity, Alabama is one of the country’s best-kept secrets, ranking number four in the nation and first in states east of the Mississippi. But since the state’s high ranking for biodiversity is not well known or promoted, there isn’t a lot of funding for conservation. “The bird blind helps put conservation higher on the priority list for our community,” Porter says, and eBird observations help attract visitors to the site.
Discover the diversity of bird species in your area by exploring an eBird hotspot in your region or finding a land trust property near you.
Read more about LTNA’s bird blind project on the Cornell Lab’s Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative website.