Guided Eagle Watch Tours on DeGray Lake, an evening Owl Prowl Adventure Tour, Golf Course Safaris and Live Falconry Hunts led by a master falconer are part of the annual Eagles Et Cetera Festival Friday-Sunday at DeGray Lake Resort State Park, 2027 State Park Entrance Road off Arkansas 7 in Bismarck.
Among the festival highlights will be close-up views of live birds of prey during presentations by Arkansas animal caretakers and educators, including master falconer Rusty Scarborough and Rodney Paul of Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas. Little Rock Zoo educators are bringing their Birds of Prey Show, which includes an American bald eagle. Families with children can participate in programs and crafts in the kid-friendly Eaglets Activity Room.
Timo Niedermeyer of Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenburg will present, virtually from Germany, a firsthand account of the role he played in discovering environmental factors that resulted in an unknown number of eagle deaths on DeGray Lake and other lakes around the country.
Binoculars and cameras are welcome. Guests are advised to dress warmly for all outdoor tours, especially lake tours as it will be colder and windier on the water.
The park’s lodge will provide indoor activities and presentations about eagles and other birds of prey. A full schedule is available at arkansasstateparks.com.
Admission is free; there's a charge for the boat-based tours and golf course safaris: for Eagle Watch Tours and the Owl Prowl Adventure Tour, $14 for adults, $8 for children 6-12, free for children under 6; admission to the Live Falconry Hunts is $20. Golf Course Safari tickets are $10, $5 for children 6-12, free for children under 6. Call (501) 865-5851.