State parks offer visitors tours, cruises for eagle watching

Bald eagles make their winter homes in Arkansas and the state’s lakes are a prime place to see the winter visitors. Arkansas State Parks will offer guided tours and special programs throughout January.
Bald eagles make their winter homes in Arkansas and the state’s lakes are a prime place to see the winter visitors. Arkansas State Parks will offer guided tours and special programs throughout January.

Santa's flying reindeer have retired for the season and now the eyes of many Arkansans are looking to the skies to spot other airborne creatures: bald eagles.

Many of the soaring, graceful birds make Arkansas their winter home. The Natural State's relatively mild weather and abundance of open lakes and ponds populated by tasty fish make it a perfect winter spot for eagles and migrating water fowl.

The Arkansas State Parks system helps visitors see these creatures in the wild and learn a bit more about them in the process. Many parks across the state will offer special guided tours and lectures to help experienced bird watchers, novice naturalists and everyone in between get a look at Arkansas' feathery winter visitors.

Here's just a sampling of what's coming up this month:

• Lake Ouachita State Park, 5451 Mountain Pine Road, Mountain Pine, will have boat-based Eagle Watch Tours, 2-3:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday in January to look for eagles and raptors along the shoreline. Admission is $10, $6 for children 6-12 and reservations are recommended. Call (501) 767-9366.

• It's a day full of cruising and bird-searching at Pinnacle Mountain State Park, at 11901 Pinnacle Valley Road, Little Rock. Lake cruises on Lake Maumelle will depart at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Saturdays in January from the Jolly Rogers Marina. There will also be more winter wildlife tours throughout the month. Participation is $15, $8 for children 6-12. Advance payment is required. Call (501) 868-5806.

• Get a short but thorough lesson in the national mascot with Bald Eagle 101, 10-10:30 a.m. Saturday at Lake Chicot State Park, 2542 Arkansas 257, Lake Village. An interpreter will share facts about the eagle and its role in American history and then children can make their own bald eagle puppet. Admission is free. Call (870) 265-5480.

• Petit Jean State Park's Eagle Awareness Weekend, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 14-15, is one of the biggest eagle-related events in the state. The park will present tours, a live raptor show, lectures on eagle history and habits, and a big car caravan to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, a prime location for eagle-spotting. Admission is free and the park is at 1285 Petit Jean Mountain Road near Morrilton. Call (501) 727-5441.

• Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area on Beaver Lake has eagle watch cruises throughout January and highlights all winter friends with its Wonder of Winter Wildlife event, Jan. 21. Lake tours, a raptor rescue program and Birds and Breakfast, where guests can have a meal while meeting birds and help release them back into the wild, are included. Admission to most activities is free but cruises are $10, $5 for children 6-12. Call (479) 789-5000.

• DeGray Lake Resort State Park will have boat tours every weekend in January leading up to the big Eagles Et Cetera weekend, Jan. 27-29. Now in its 38th year, the celebration includes special programs, guided tours and a chance to meet birds of prey up close. Most activities are free but cruises are $10, $6 for children 6-12. Call (501) 865-5810.

Warm clothing is recommended, and binoculars and cameras would be a good idea for any boat tours and hikes.

For a complete lineup of activities, call (888) 287-2757 or visit arkansasstateparks.com.

Weekend on 01/05/2017

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