Want to see a bald eagle? Eagles over Monroe events begin Saturday
Eight days of hikes, tours and presentations will educate people about the bald eagles living near Lake Monroe as part of this year's annual Eagles over Monroe events.
Thirty-seven years ago bald eagles were reintroduced to Indiana at Lake Monroe as part of a five-year project that brought 73 young eagles to Indiana. Prior to that, the last time a Hoosier eagle's nest was reported was in 1897.
Now, with more than 300 bald eagle nests throughout Indiana, including many surrounding Lake Monroe, there are events so Hoosiers can learn more about the majestic raptors that are becoming more common in the state.
More: Bald eagles flying high after successful reintroduction in Hoosier state
Lake Monroe's interpretive naturalist Jill Vance has developed eight days of activities that begin Saturday with a birding stroll that's already full.
"Anything that requires advance registration is full at this point," Vance said Wednesday.
Vance said there are five free events that are open. She also suggested people who are interested in the eight events that are full to put their names on the waiting list. The only programs Vance believes will remain full are the two live raptor shows on Jan. 30.
Vance suggests people participate in the driving tour and scavenger hunt, which is self-guided and will be available throughout the eight days. An online map gives 13 locations around the lake that are some of the best for viewing eagles.
Anyone wanting to see bald eagles should use binoculars or spotting scopes. Vance said the driving tour would be best if it's completed over several days. Six of the locations also are part of a scavenger hunt, with each location having a letter of the alphabet. Once people have all six letters and unscramble them to form a word, they can enter that in a contest. The winner will receive an annual 2022 state park pass.
Three Sunset Eagle Watches will be open to anyone who wants to look for eagles. Visitors can drop by between 5 and 6 p.m. — a time of the day when bald eagles are more active. Volunteers with spotting scopes will be at Pine Grove State Recreation Area on Jan. 26, at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office on Monroe Dam Court on Jan. 28 and at Paynetown State Recreation Area on Jan. 29. A limited number of loaner binoculars will be available and hot chocolate will be given to anyone who brings their own travel mug.
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"We're going to look at whatever birds we can see," Vance said, adding that in addition to bald eagles, people may see gulls, terns, ducks, geese, herons and more.
The people helping at the sites are involved in another Lake Monroe project in which volunteers search the Lake Monroe area for bald eagles and file field reports. That work has given them expertise in knowing where to look for eagles.
Al Parker, a wildlife biologist who helped with the reintroduction program, will give a talk at 2 p.m. Jan. 29 at Paynetown State Recreation Area. The event is full and is one of only three indoor eagle-related events. The wearing of face masks will be required.
A virtual Facebook Live presentation on the return of the bald eagle to Indiana will be at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 27. The direct link for the presentation is https://www.facebook.com/events/974719959793853.
For a complete list of activities, go to bit.ly/eaglesovermonroe2022.
Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com, 812-331-4359 or @ckugler on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Lake Monroe events: Hikes, tours, presentations about bald eagles
