Alabama has a new birding trail as of December 1-- the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail. The nine counties that make up the trail are Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and Talladega. Three years in development, the Appalachian Highlands Birding Trail features 38 approved sites covering an area of over 4 million acres. The trail will be marked with directional signs and there will be interpretative signs at many sites featuring an overall trail map and information on the types of birds most commonly spotted at that site. Visit the trail website for more detailed information about all of Alabama’s eight birding trails.