Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Choctaw County, Alabama — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Butler, about 31 km (19 mi) away (Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge lies S of town).
The Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge is a 4,218 acre (17.07 km2) National Wildlife Refuge located along the Tombigbee River near Coffeeville, Alabama. Named after the Choctaw tribe, it was established to provide a wood duck brood habitat and serve as a protected wintering area for waterfowl. Of the 4,218 acres (17.07 km2) of the refuge, approximately 1,802 acres (7.29 km2) of lakes, sloughs, and creeks, 2,265 acres (9.17 km2) of bottomland hardwoods, and 151 acres (0.61 km2) of croplands and moist soil units. The facility has a four-person staff with a $882,000 (FY 2005) annual budget. The refuge also manages an additional 236 acres (0.96 km2) in perpetual conservation easements in eight parcels in Monroe, Sumter and Conecuh counties.From the Wikipedia article “Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 62° ENE | 8:02 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 117° ESE | 4:54 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:38 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 05m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:27 PM – 4:17 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:00 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:37 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:36 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:33 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:33 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 78 | 82 | 86 | 96 | 102 | 106 | 106 | 109 | 105 | 102 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 12 | 21 | 21 | 33 | 42 | 56 | 61 | 55 | 44 | 32 | 20 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 5.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Choctaw National Wildlife Refuge from Butler?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.