Raptor tours to benefit Backcountry Trail - Baldwin County NOW

Raptor tours to benefit Backcountry Trail - Baldwin County NOW: "ORANGE BEACH, Ala. — As far as birds go, raptors have always been a hobby of Phillip West, Coastal Resources director for the city of Orange Beach.

He used to work for a nonprofit organization that was a research group with raptors, doing most of his research in the Northern Rockies. West knows how to look at a map and recognize migration patterns of hawks, eagles and falcons.

Now, he wants to take what he has learned about these high-flying predators and share it with the rest of us.

Beginning in the fall, West plans to lead some tours at the Fort Morgan peninsula to do some raptor watching.

Although a specific date has not been set for the tours, West hopes to take a couple of weekends during the fall and possibly some weekdays to offer a chance to really get up close and personal with these large birds. Often times the success of the sightings depends on the weather."