By Glynn Wilson –

DAUPHIN ISLAND, Ala. — The spring bird migration is in full swing along the Gulf Coast, an annual event when thousands of species of birds make their annual trans-Gulf flight from South and Central America back to North America for the summer and hundreds of birders make it here for one of nature’s grand shows.

We made the trek down on Wednesday and caught up with a flock of Indigo buntings [Passerina cyanea] on the old Native American shell mounds, a hotspot for birding this time of year.

There were also a few summer tanagers [Piranga rubra] sometimes confused with the scarlet tanager [Piranga olivacea].

The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy, according to Cornell University’s online All About Bird’s guide.

The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call.

“Fairly common during the summer, these birds migrate as far as the middle of South America each winter,” they say. “All year long they specialize in catching bees and wasps on the wing, somehow avoiding being stung by their catches.”

Male Scarlet Tanagers are among the most blindingly gorgeous birds in an eastern forest in summer, with blood-red bodies set off by jet-black wings and tail, according to Cornell scientists.

“They’re also one of the most frustratingly hard to find as they stay high in the forest canopy singing rich, burry songs,” they say. “The yellowish-green, dark-winged females can be even harder to spot until you key in on this bird’s chick-burr call note.”

We also saw a number of Eastern kingbirds [Tyrannus tyrannus], and got this shot while making the loop around Galliard Lake in the main Audubon Bird Sanctuary.

There were also yellow warblers [Setophaga petechia] and other species, like the osprey below.

See more photos of this osprey here.

Galliard Lake is home to a variety of turtles, including this softshell turtle [Apalone ferox].

And of course the tourists also flock here to see the famous Dauphin Island gator, which has become an attraction in its own right.

See more photos of the famous Dauphin Island gator here.