New interpretive birding sign installed

A stop on the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail, East Lake Park is a great place to see songbirds, birds of prey or waterfowl, including the herons who have a rookery on the lake’s small island.

And there’s a new interpretive sign at East Lake — thanks to the Birmingham Audubon Society Urban Bird Habitat Initiative — that gives visitors information about birds that live or make migratory stops at the park.

The sign was installed in September, just north of the piers along the lake’s eastern edge, and offers photography of birds and QR codes that allow visitors to go online for more information.

“We hope this sign will help the visitors to East Lake appreciate the wildlife that calls the park home,” said Andrew Coleman, Audubon Society program and science director, who said birds are drawn there by the lake and nearby Village Creek, as well as numerous pines and hardwood trees.

East Lake is also easily accessible, and birders “don’t have to have a spotting scope or binoculars,” said Society president Joe Watts. “It helps, but you don’t have to have them to see the wildlife.”

Funded in part by the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, UBHI focuses on such goals as improving bird habitats and getting the public engaged with helping to preserve them.

“At East Lake, we focus on education and outreach, so people understand the asset that is here in their backyard,” said Suzanne Langley, Society executive director.

Learn more at birminghamaudubon.org or at Facebook @bhamaudubon.