WHO -- Jon Horgan Kemp, 59, a freelance writer from New Orleans, and her husband, John Reed, 60, a criminal defense lawyer WHAT -- 3-bedroom house WHERE -- Dauphin Island, Ala.  John: Dauphin Island has been called the birdiest coastal town in the country. During the spring and fall migrations, birds will drop down out of the sky. In the spring, it is the first land they cross after flying over the Gulf of Mexico, so they stop here to rest up.  Jon: The Audubon Bird Sanctuary is just wonderful. It is a birding paradise. In April, 188 different species were spotted on the island. I've seen red-tailed hawks, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, all types of warblers and songbirds like indigo buntings. But I've often found that I can just do as well at the beach. It's not unusual for me to count 70 or 80 pelicans. You can see the shore birds change -- there are the babies, the immatures, or what I call the teenagers, and then the full-grown birds who at two or three years old get their plumage.  John: Our house is right on the beach and is about four miles from the sanctuary. The sanctuary has beautiful dunes, and I enjoy the tranquillity there and on the rest of the island. Dauphin Island is completely different than the rest of the Gulf Coast. There is not a single traffic light or a fast-food restaurant here. The island is 16 miles long -- 8 miles is developed and the rest is a privately owned sand spit -- and it is a constant effort to beat back more development. People are discovering this island, and there has been a huge escalation in property values. Last year we had a hurricane, but property values just skyrocketed.  Jon: This year Hurricane Dennis took half of our front yard, which is the beach. We'll have to wait to see whether any of it comes back. The beach is still great, of course, but for a change of scenery, it's nice to go to the bird sanctuary. It's a green oasis with wonderful walking trails and a fresh-water lake. We're nature people. As told to Amy Gunderson  ON THE MARKET Information on properties was supplied by the listing companies.  WHERE -- Dauphin Island, Ala. WHAT -- 3-bedroom condominium HOW MUCH -- $389,000  This condo is a quarter-mile from the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, an acclaimed spot for bird watching during the spring migration. There are hundreds of species of birds in the 164-acre sanctuary, including warblers, tanagers and fly catchers. The condo is 1,456 square feet and has three bathrooms, a two-car carport and a deck overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Dauphin Island is 150 miles from New Orleans and 65 miles from the casinos of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Agent: Prissy Hawkins, Island Realty Corporation, (877)219-7392; www.islandrealtycorp.com.  WHERE -- Weldon, Calif. WHAT -- 2-bedroom house HOW MUCH -- $349,000  The 2,789-acre Kern River Preserve, about a mile from this 2,145-square-foot house, is frequented by turkey vultures, eagles, killdeers and hummingbirds. The house was built in 1994 and has a wet bar, a wood-burning stove, two bathrooms and a four-car attached garage. Weldon is 170 miles north of Los Angeles. Agent: David Bacalis, Century 21 Lake Isabella Realty, (760)417-1746; www.century21lakeisabella.com.  WHERE -- Scarborough, Me. WHAT -- 2-bedroom house HOW MUCH -- $446,000  This 1,692-square-foot house has 200 feet of frontage on Scarborough Marsh, home of the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. Egrets, herons and glossy ibises are common throughout the 3,100 acres of the marsh, which can be seen by canoe or kayak or from trails. The house has two bathrooms, three wood-burning stoves, a walk-out basement with a greenhouse addition and a two-car detached garage. Scarborough is 5 miles south of Portland. Agent: Deborah Coward, ReMax by the Bay, (207)773-2345; www.trubritrealty.com.  WHERE -- Garrison, N.Y. WHAT -- 3-bedroom house HOW MUCH -- $1.44 million  This 1840's brick carriage house is 200 yards from the entrance to Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, a 270-acre preserve. The marsh, on the east side of the Hudson River, is home to bald eagles, Virginia rails and a hundred other kinds of birds. The house has three bathrooms, a sunroom, an open living and dining area, exposed brick and a swimming pool. Garrison is an hour north of New York City. Agent: Patrick O'Sullivan, Limited Editions Realty, (845)265-3111; www.limitededitionsrealty.com.  WHERE -- Rodanthe, N.C. WHAT -- 6-bedroom house HOW MUCH -- $880,000  This Outer Banks house borders the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, which has more than 365 species of birds and provides nesting areas for American black ducks and gadwalls. Built in 2004, the house is 3,164 square feet and has views of the ocean and of Pamlico Sound. It has a wraparound deck, four bathrooms, a game room with a pool table, a swimming pool and a hot tub. It has been used as a rental and is offered furnished. Agents: Bette Gray and Tricia Midgett, Midgett Realty, (252)986-6380; www.investinhatteras.com.  WHERE -- Middletown, R.I. WHAT -- 3-bedroom house HOW MUCH -- $729,000  This 1,668-square-foot cottage is a half-mile from the Norman Bird Sanctuary, a 300-acre preserve that is home to 65 species of birds -- including red-bellied woodpeckers during the breeding season that stretches into August. The sanctuary has seven miles of hiking trails. The house was built in 1970 and has wood floors, two bathrooms and a detached two-car garage. It is near the Sakonnet River and is a 10-minute drive from Newport. Agent: Art Weber, Prudential Prime Properties, (800)368-8380; www.prudentialprime.com.
Interview with Jon Horgan Kemp and husband, John Reed, on living in house near Aubudon Bird Sanctuary on Dauphin Island, Ala; photos and brief descriptions of similar properties for sale near bird sanctuaries (M)