Birds take center stage at DeGray Lake Resort State Park January 29-31
DeGray Lake Resort State Park in Bismarck is home to a popular annual festival that highlights birds, the outdoors and conservation. This year the 37th annual Eagles Et Cetera festival takes place January 29-31 at the park. On the lineup are guided hikes with expert birders, a chance to meet and watch a falconer practice their craft, Eagle Watch Tours on DeGray Lake, and various hikes and outdoor programs. Indoor programs are also on the agenda with the aim of teaching about conservation, wildlife and the outdoors. There are no admission charges for programs during the festival except for boat based tours, golf course safaris, and select crafts.
A few highlights of the weekend include a live falconry hunt with master falconer Rusty Scarborough January 29 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participants will take a boat ride to a location where Scarborough will release a falcon to hunt. Of note, the event has a limit of 20 participants and reservations to take part open January 28 at noon.
A 45 minute guided hike by expert birders Glenn and Evelyn Good has also been set for that day. The meeting location for this event is the park lodge lobby at 3 p.m.
From 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. that day there will also be a guided Eagle Watch Tour on DeGray Lake to search for wintering bald eagles, herons, ospreys and more. Admission for the boat tour is $10 for adults and $6 for kids 6-12 years old.
The Little Rock Zoo will also be on hand to show its collection of owls during a presentation from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. that night.
If you missed the boat tour the day before, Eagle Watch Tours will also be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on January 30. Tours are set to leave out every hour on the hour and dressing for the weather, and bringing a pair of binoculars if you have them, is advised.
Another opportunity to learn about falcons takes place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on this day during the Wings of Royalty presentation at the Lodge Convention Center. During the event, Rusty Scarborough is set to teach about the art and history of falconry.
Also that day in the Lodge Convention Center from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. will be a presentation by Rodney Paul, owner of Raptor Rehab of Central Arkansas. Paul will be on site with live rehabilitated birds to talk about what goes into healing injured raptors.
New this year, the Little Rock Zoo will be on hand with African penguins to teach about endangered species. The event, called Penguins: A Plan for Survival, takes place from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
From 6:30 to 7:15 one of the showcase events of the weekend takes place at the Birds of Prey Show. Here, the Little Rock Zoo will have hawks, a bald eagle, falcons, vultures and other birds on show for participants to see.
On January 31, four guided Eagle Watch Tours will also be offered from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Park staff have advised to call the park for specific times of the tours.
A full schedule of festival activities are available on the park’s website at degray.com. DeGray Lake Resort State Park is located at 2027 State Park Entrance Road. For more information call 501- 865-5810.