Eagles in Arkansas

January 20, 2012 Local News No comments

Eagles in Arkansas

When winter is in full swing in late January and in February, numbers of Arkansans and their visitors who enjoy the outdoors go looking for eagles.

A few decades back, seeing an eagle was rare in the state. Now you stand a good chance of seeing one or more in nearly every section of Arkansas.

Where can you find eagles? Start your thinking with water. The big, majestic birds are usually found around water because fish make up a major part of their diet.[adsenseyu1] The Arkansas River all the way across the state is prime eagle territory in winter. So are the big man-made lakes and even smaller lakes.

For beginners in the eagle viewing game, participation in a specially designed state park program can help. Some of these state park eagle events are long-running, annual activities. Dress warm, take the family and head out for a day of wildlife watching.

Some other tips for eagle outings:

Look for flying eagles in the skies and roosting eagles in treetops. Eagles soar with wings straight out from their bodies; vultures soar with wings in a V shape. Scan the treetops carefully. Sometimes eagles will sit in dead or leafless trees, making them easy to spot, but at other times one may be tucked up in the boughs of a pine tree.

Use binoculars. You can adjust the neck strap for yourself; focus the eyepieces for your own eyes, and practice finding objects while looking through them. If you don’t have a pair of binoculars, call ahead to a state park you’re visiting; it’s likely they’ll have some you can check out or share.

Take along bird field guides. Even though you’re planning to see eagles, you can also view other wintering birds during your outing. Different species are common in the natural divisions of Arkansas, and water areas give glimpses of loons, grebes, herons and a variety of ducks.

Some upcoming Arkansas State Parks eagle events:

Bald Eagle Bonanza at Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Springs, Jan. 20-22. Lake tours, guided hikes, guest speakers and live birds demonstrations. Phone 501-844-4176 or go online to http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakecatherine.

Eagle Cruise on Beaver Lake at Hobbs State Park Conservation Area, 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21. Pre-registration required at 479-789-5000. Cost is $10 plus tax for adults and $5plus tax for children 6 to 12.

Eagles Et Cetera at DeGray Lake Resort State Park near Arkadelphia. This is Arkansas’s oldest eagle event. Lake tours, guided walks, live bird demonstrations and other activities. Phone 501-865-5850 or go online to http://www.degray.com/.

Eagle Watch Weekend at Lake Ouachita State Park near Mountain Pine and Hot Springs, Feb. 25-26. Lake tours and other programs and activities. Phone 501-767-8366 or go online to http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/lakeouachita.