Today’s blog is a little different, as I’m going to focus on a website. Not that visiting the actual location isn’t HIGHLY recommended! But if you’re not physically at Weeks Bay Reserve to ask your question or read about something that has piqued your curiosity, you may appreciate knowing of a resource to help you identify a local creature you are observing.

Weeks Bay Foundation helps visitors to identify and appreciate the local nature and wildlife in Southern Alabama.

Once you reach the Weeks Bay Foundation website, it will be easy to lose yourself in the many links describing their history, their wonderful programs and more. But at some point, you’ll want to steer yourself to the Photo Album link on the left side.

The Weeks Bay Photo Album is divided into well-defined categories, including 18 albums of various types of feathered friends, two albums of insects, five albums of water-related neighbors, and one that includes plants and creatures you will find on their Wintermeyer Boardwalk. The photos are captioned with common names and species, plus varied information on their size, habitats, coloring and more. As you’ll see, these pages are much more than just a simple collection of pictures. What a wealth of information!

I’ll admit that I’m pretty ignorant about what creatures or plants are what around here (don’t tell anyone!). But since stumbling upon this resource, I’m starting to be able to name some of what I see—and soon you will be able to do the same.

To find out more, visit the Weeks Bay Foundation website and start poking around. But don’t pass up your earliest opportunity to visit the Weeks Bay Reserve in person. From Gulf Shores, take Hwy. 59 north, then Hwy. 98 west; you’ll find the Reserve near Hwy. 181, just beyond the bridge over Fish River.

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