Bird watchers, photographers and families can get a glimpse of several dozen birds this weekend at the Winter Walk at an Opelika preserve and nature park.
The Opelika Wood Duck Heritage Preserve and Siddique Nature Park will host the free event Dec. 3 beginning at 8 a.m., giving attendees a guided trail walk to the holding pond and duck blind while identifying birds, including wood ducks, along the way.
The walk will begin with a meet-up at the homestead entrance of the preserve and nature park on Waverly Parkway, and Barry Fleming, president of the Friends of the Opelika Wood Duck Heritage Preservation and Siddique Nature Park, will lead the group.
The 73-acre preserve and nature park has hosted walks in the past but the Winter Walk strives to specifically draw attention to the site and the state’s natural resources, said Project Manager Joanne Ninesling.
“Wood ducks are stunningly beautiful … and that’s what a lot of people want to see,” she said.
The number of species and birds also differs during this time of year, especially with the cold front this week, Fleming said.
He estimates attendees will see, on average, 35-40 species of birds and about 100-150 wood ducks.
The preserve and nature park has seen over 175 recorded species of birds and is listed on ebird.org as the No. 1 hotspot for birding in Lee County.
“We’ve had as many as 400 ducks of 10 species” at one time, Fleming said.
The preserve and nature park is managed through a partnership between the city of Opelika and the Friends of the Opelika Wood Duck Heritage Preservation and Siddique Nature Park, a nonprofit organization.
Trucks used to dump leachate into the pond as part of a contract with a neighboring city, Fleming said, but have stopped within the past year. Wastewater is still pumped to the bottom of the pond, he said, but the water doesn’t contain any contaminants.
It’s also not uncommon for such sites to attract several birds because of increased biolife, he added.
Attendees are encouraged to bring water and wear comfortable shoes, as the trail is primarily unpaved. No registration is required.
“It doesn’t have to cost anything to have a great outdoor experience,” Ninesling said.
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