POWERGRAMS

9 around the state. He said the Little Fox Creek Trail on Lake Harris, Ten Island Trail at Lake Neely Henry and the boat ramp on the State Highway 9 Causeway at Weiss Lake are all recognized birding sites. The Alabama Birding Trails website notes that visitors to Fox Creek can expect to see swallows and purple martins in spring and summer, and belted kingfishers, wading birds and wood ducks year- round. "During the winter months, additional waterfowl, gulls and terns appear. Keep your eyes peeled for ospreys and bald eagles," the website proclaims. At Ten Islands, a broad array of bird species can be viewed throughout the seasons, on the lake's open waters and in the surrounding woods. Looking toward the lake, birders can spot gulls and geese, ducks, loons and grebes, swallows, purple martins and chimney swifts. Turn landward and go farther into the interior and birders may see, depending on the season: sparrows, eastern towhees and white-eyed vireos, gray catbirds, prairie warblers, yellow-breasted chats, indigo buntings and common yellowthroat – not to mention Tennessee, palm and orange- crowned warblers during the spring and fall migration. Catching sight of a chuck-will's-widow, a whip-poor-will, eastern screech-owl, blue-winged, prairie and worm-eating warblers during the summer months is a possibility. Eastern bluebirds, American goldfinches, cedar waxwings, as well as barred and great horned owls are visible with a little patience, the website states. Over 430 bird species have been spotted in Alabama, and many migratory birds will stop at Alabama Power lakes on their journeys north and south. Alabama Power and parent Southern Company, working with multiple partners, have helped protect and expand the population of a number of Gulf Coast birds and shorebirds. One majestic bird Alabama Power has supported with partners is the sandhill crane. Considered one of North America's tallest birds, "sandies" can grow close to 4 feet in height with a wingspan up to 7 feet. And while the majority of sandhill subspecies are not rare, one – the Mississippi subspecies, found only in a few southern counties in Alabama and Mississippi – is on the federal endangered list. The Mississippi sandhill crane differs from many other sandies in that it does not migrate. Alabama Power has supported efforts to protect and expand the nation's precariously small number of whooping cranes, a federally endangered species that migrates through the state in winter, on their way to Florida. Other Gulf Coast bird species supported by Alabama Power and Southern Company, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and others, include the red knot, oystercatcher and whimbrel. Bats are another winged creature that Alabama Power and partners are working together to help protect. For years, company biologists have been closely involved in studying the state's bat population. Since 2017, Alabama Power and Southern Company have partnered with NFWF on the Bats for the Future Fund, which supports research battling the spread of white-nose syndrome, a highly contagious disease that has killed more than 6 million bats during the past decade. Jeff Baker, an Alabama Power biologist, said many people don't realize the significance of bats – not only as part of a healthy and diverse ecosystem, but for the state's agriculture industry. He said bats are important pollinators, with some plants relying completely on bats for their survival. But bats are also vital as natural pest-killers – because of the voluminous amount of bugs they can consume. Estimates put their annual value to agriculture and timber production nationwide at more than $3 billion. "We need bats, plain and simple. And we are trying to do our part to advance the research and find an effective cure to white-nose syndrome," Baker said. Learn more about the company's efforts to protect birds, bats and other important species by visiting www.alabamapower.com. Search for "Environmental Stewardship." Brown bats are crucial to Alabama, having an estimated $3 billion annual value for the state's agriculture and timber industries.

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