Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) will be offering free Eagle Watch Tours beginning in January. These tours provide the public with an amazing opportunity to view bald eagles in their natural habitat.
Tours take place on the following Saturdays; January 24, 31, February 7, 14, 21, 28, and March 7 for the 2015 season. All tours start at the Refuge Headquarters at 9 a.m. and end by noon. Tours are free and no pre-registration is required.
Southern Bald Eagles typically lay eggs during the months of December or January, and incubate the eggs for approximately 35 days before they hatch. After the eggs hatch, the real work begins with both adults providing continual care for the young over the 11 to 12 week period until the young birds fledge (or leave the nest).
“This is an exciting time of year on the Refuge because the eagle territories come alive with action as the adults care for eggs and then growing eaglets”, stated Chad Ford, Outdoor Recreation Planner at the Refuge. “Often on the tours we see eagles soaring through the air, hunting for food, or attending to a nest”.
Leann Bunn, a naturalist from Tenkiller State Park, will serve as a Guest Guide during the tours. Tours are conducted from a tour bus and the Refuge has binoculars and spotting scopes available for your use.
Sequoyah NWR would also like to invite you to view the live eagle cam that streams live images of a bald eagle nest onto the internet. The live feed can be accessed through the Sequoyah NWR website by visiting www.fws.gov/refuge/sequoyah. Simply follow the link from the Sequoyah NWR homepage that is titled “Bald Eagle Cam”.
To get to Sequoyah NWR, take exit 297 off I-40 at Vian, travel 3 miles south on the county road. Watch for signs along the way. More information is also available by contacting the Refuge at 918-773-5251
