Golden Pond, Kentucky – The Friends of Land Between the Lakes is excited to announce that the Woodlands Nature Station will host bald eagle viewing cruises and van tours for the public in January and February 2023. The eagle tours will give visitors a chance to view these majestic birds in their natural habitat within the Land Between the Lakes area.
Kentucky Lake eagle viewing cruises will be offered January 14-16 from 1-4 p.m. on the CQ Princess, a 96-foot, double-decker luxury yacht. Cruises will depart from Kenlake Marina at Kenlake State Resort Park and light refreshments will be provided. On-board naturalists from the Nature Station will help attendees spot eagles and other wildlife as well as share the inspiring story of the bald eagle’s comeback from the brink of extinction in western Kentucky. In addition to bald eagles, visitors will likely see native wildlife such as ducks, turkeys, deer, and herons.
Van tours will be offered every weekend in January through mid-February and will explore favorite Land Between the Lakes bays, shorelines, and roosting spots of bald eagles. Visitors will search for these majestic birds as they soar through the sky and perch in the trees, and perhaps even catch one in action while hunting. Woodlands Nature Station naturalists will help visitors spot eagles and other wildlife, as well as zoom in with spotting scopes and binoculars for a closer look.
In 2018, biologists counted close to 140 bald eagles wintering in the Land Between the Lakes area, as well as 30 active nests. “Land Between the Lakes serves as a major wintering spot for bald eagles from northern areas such as Michigan and Canada,” states John Pollpeter, Nature Station’s Lead Naturalist. “Since Kentucky and Barkley lakes remain unfrozen throughout winter, they attract northern bald eagles looking for open water where they can find fish. The 300 miles of undeveloped, forested shoreline at Land Between the Lakes provides eagles with the ideal habitat they need to thrive.”
Reservations and full deposits are required for all van tours and cruises. The popularity of eagle excursions calls for early reservations. A full listing of eagle viewing activities can be found online. Call 270.924.2020 for reservations.
