PERDIDO PASS IN LATE SEPTEMBER: “THE WATCHERS ON THE WALL”

By Meredith Folger Amon — Orange Beach, Alabama

I made this photograph at the end of September, standing along the seawall at Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, Alabama. The day had that clean, post-summer light I love on the Gulf—blue on blue—and a soft northeast breeze that kept the surface groomed. Fishing boats and a few yachts slid in and out of the pass beyond the frame. To my left, the white umbrellas and palms of The Gulf restaurant fluttered like little signals of shore life; ahead, the Perdido Pass Bridge arced across the water, carrying the day’s traffic toward Ono Island and back again.

But the subject here isn’t the bridge, the boats, or the restaurant. It’s the coastal birds posted along the concrete—heads into the wind, eyes locked on the Gulf as if they’re reading the same things captains read: tide, texture, and what the next hour might bring. That’s why I pressed the shutter. These sentinels gave the scene a compass.

Why I framed it this way

Leading line: The seawall cuts from foreground to horizon, pulling your eye straight to the birds and then to the pass and bridge beyond.
Story beats: Left to right, you move from beach and palms (shore life), past The Gulf’s umbrellas (gathering place), to the birds (the pause), and finally to the bridge and mouth of the pass (movement).
Depth choices: I kept the birds crisp and let the bridge and boats soften slightly so the context supports, not competes.

What this image says about Perdido Pass

Perdido Pass is our hinge between the back bays and the open Gulf. The water here changes mood by the hour. Onshore wind and an outgoing tide can stack a short, steep chop; after a front, it turns to glass. Birds know it—so do anglers and boaters. When the birds face into the breeze and wait, I know the rip line at the jetties is about to get interesting.

If you’re new to the area, these nearby links will help you orient:
Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/
Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/
Boating Amenities on the Gulf Coast — https://www.searchthegulf.com/boating-accommodations-on-the-gulf-coast/

Photo notes (for my fellow shooters)

Time of year: Late September is “shoulder season” light—crisper skies, less haze, and birds that linger on the wall.
Angles: Shoot low along the seawall to exaggerate the leading line.
Patience: Wait for the head turn and a clean background gap between the subject bird and the bridge columns.
Courtesy: Give the birds space; they’ll settle back into their watch if you move slowly.

If you’re visiting

Have lunch at The Gulf, take a slow walk along the pass, and watch the birds do their work. You’ll see the same patterns captains watch—tidal seams, color changes, and the telltale flick of bait near the surface. Stay clear of the edge, keep an eye on wakes along the wall, and enjoy one of the best everyday vistas on the Gulf Coast.

—Meredith Folger Amon

#searchthegulf #meredithamon #becausewelivehere

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