GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Lake Guntersville State Park will host its popular Eagle Awareness Weekends starting in January 2022, through February 2022.
The events will feature live bird demonstrations, programs delivered by notable speakers and guided field trips to view eagles in their natural habitat.
The Eagle Awareness Weekends began in 1985 to coincide with a bald eagle restoration program in Alabama. A loss of habitat, pesticide use and poaching had pushed eagle populations to the brink of extinction nationwide. Alabama’s restoration project began in 1984 by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries’ Nongame Wildlife Program.
From 1985-91, 91 bald eagles were released throughout the state. Today, bald eagles are a more common sight in Alabama.
This year, four Eagle Awareness Weekends will be available in early 2022:
- Jan. 21-23
- Jan. 28-30
- Feb. 4-6 and
- Feb. 11-13.
Each weekend will start on Friday evening with a social and wine tasting event followed by an educational session on eagles in Alabama and a presentation by an Alabama State Park Naturalist. The Saturday agenda includes more sessions by noted conservation experts, guided field trips to look for eagles, raptors, and waterfowl in the wild and ends with a dinner buffet in the Pinecrest Dining Room. Sunday ends the weekend with more guided field trips, an educational program, and a photo opportunity with live birds.
Packages for the Eagle Awareness Weekends are available that include overnight accommodations, breakfast buffet, group dinner on Saturday night and a wine tasting by Jules J. Berta Vineyards. Attendance is limited to package holders and tickets will be sold for Saturday (programs only) as space allows.
For more information about the event schedules, Eagle Awareness packages or to make reservations, visit https://www.alapark.com/parks/lake-guntersville-state-park or call 256-571-5440.
