Bon Secour offers safe harbor for many

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is the last remaining coastal barrier habitat. The refuge sits along the Fort Morgan, Peninsula.

It's a 7,000 acre track with more than five miles of undeveloped beaches. There's also a dozen miles of bayfront property.

Bon Secour means "safe harbor," and that's what it's considered for many endangered and threatened species.

"Eighty percent of our population actually lives here near the coast, so it's very important that we provide this safe habitat for species. And that's why a lot of your coastal species tend to be endangered or threatened, cause they just don't have that habitat to live in," explains Jackie Isaacs.

Isaacs is a wildlife biologist for the refuge.

Some of the endangered species that live with in the refuge include the Alabama Beach Mouse.

Other species pass through depending on the season. Threatened species like the Loggerhead Sea Turtle and the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle nest at the refuge in the summer months.

The piping plover is an endangered shore bird that winters on the refuge.

Birds migrate through Bon Secour on a regular basis.

"We're quite fortunate in we're an important stopover for the neotropical migrants that come here to the refuge. And neotropical migrants are actually birds that migrate from here in the united states all the way down to mexico. We're a stopover area when they make that long journey," said Isaacs.

The peak for migratory songbirds is coming up in mid-april. The Pine and Oak woodlands give the birds a place to rest after crossing the Gulf.

There are a number of popular hiking trails that provide great opportunities for viewing the wildlife.

There are also a number of beach access points along Fort Morgan Road. Fishing is also permitted within the refuge.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is open year round during daylight hours.