Spring — specifically April through early May — is the best time to visit Dauphin Island if birding is your goal. The spring migration peaks then, and if weather conditions cooperate, the "fallout" events when exhausted songbirds blanket the island are among the most dramatic wildlife spectacles on the Gulf Coast.
Summer is beach season, with warm Gulf water and the island's facilities running at full capacity. Temperatures regularly hit 32°C and the humidity is high. Hurricane season runs June through November, with September the peak month — watch weather forecasts closely if visiting in late summer or autumn. Winter is quiet, mild, and popular with birders looking for waterfowl and shorebirds.