February 9th is Bald Eagle Day in Utah
OutdoorHub 01.25.13
Bald Eagle Viewings Organized in Northern, Central, Northeastern, and Southern Utah.
If you’ve ever seen a bald eagle in the wild, you know it’s an experience that can take your breath away.
On Feb. 9, you’ll have a chance not only to see bald eagles, but to learn more about them. The Division of Wildlife Resources will hold its annual Utah Bald Eagle Day that day.
Bald Eagle Day is free. You can see eagles at five locations across the state. Viewing times vary depending on the viewing site you visit:
Northern Utah
Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area (Compton’s Knoll), located about 10 miles northwest of Corinne
Viewing at Salt Creek will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In addition to seeing the eagles at Salt Creek, you can also see a captive bald eagle that volunteers from the Ogden Nature Center will bring to the event. The captive eagle will be at the event from noon to 1 p.m. Make sure you bring your camera with you — this will be a great chance to take a picture of your kids standing next to a real bald eagle!
To reach the WMA, take Exit 365 off of Interstate 15 and travel west on state Route 83 through Corinne. Stay on Route 83 until you get to 6800 West (Iowa String). Travel north to 6800 N. Travel west on 6800 N. until you reach the Salt Creek WMA/Compton’s Knoll Watchable Wildlife site.
Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, located on the west side of Farmington at 1325 W. Glover Lane (925 South)
Viewing at Farmington Bay will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition to seeing eagles at the WMA, you might want to drop by the Great Salt Lake Nature Center. The center is at the north end of the WMA. Hands-on activities for children will begin at 9 a.m. and continue through most of the day. Live birds of prey will also be available to view. Members of HawkWatch International will show the raptors from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
To reach the nature center and the WMA, follow these directions:
If you’re traveling from Salt Lake City and other areas south of Farmington:
Travel north on I-15 to Exit 322. (The exit is just after you pass under the Glovers Lane overpass.) Where the ramp forks, stay right. Just off the exit ramp, turn right onto the frontage road, and continue south to the stop sign. Turn right onto Glovers Lane, and follow it west.
To reach the Farmington Bay WMA, travel to 1325 W. Glovers Lane, and turn left.
To reach the Great Salt Lake Nature Center, continue west on Glovers Lane to 1700 W. Glovers Lane. You will go past a “Dead End” sign. The paved road to the Nature Center will be on your left.
If you’re traveling from Ogden and other areas north of Farmington:
Travel south on I-15 to Farmington. Take Exit 325 (the Lagoon/Park Lane exit). The exit will deliver you to Park Lane. Turn right (west) on Park Lane. Park Lane will bear south and run into Clark Lane. Turn right (west) onto Clark Lane and continue to the first four-way stop, which is 1525 W. Turn left (south) onto 1525 W., and continue for about one mile until the street ends at Glovers Lane.
To reach the Farmington Bay WMA, turn left (east) onto Glovers Lane. Travel to 1325 W. Glovers Lane, and then turn right (south).
To reach the Great Salt Lake Nature Center, turn right (west) onto Glovers Lane. Continue west on Glovers Lane to 1700 W. Glovers Lane. You will go past a “Dead End” sign. The paved road to the Nature Center will be on your left.
Central Utah
Fountain Green State Fish Hatchery, located east of Nephi
Viewing will take place at Fountain Green from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you’re coming from the north, you can reach the hatchery by taking Interstate 15 and exiting the freeway at the second Nephi exit (Exit 225). After exiting the freeway, turn east on state Route 132 and travel about 10 miles. About 1 mile before the city of Fountain Green, a Bald Eagle Day sign will point you to an access road that leads to the hatchery.
Once you reach the hatchery, you’ll be given a driving map of the Sanpete Valley that highlights the best areas in the valley to view eagles. Literature, displays and bathroom facilities will also be available at the hatchery. Spotting scopes will be set-up at a viewing location about one mile from the hatchery where eagles often gather in a large tree.
Northeastern Utah
Split Mountain/Green River, located north of Jensen and below the Dinosaur Quarry in Dinosaur National Monument (DNM).
Viewing will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To reach the site, drive north from U.S. Highway 40 in Jensen on the road to the Dinosaur Quarry (state Route 149).
Your first stop should be at the staging area located just inside the DNM boundary. Displays and spotting scopes will be available at the staging area, and you might be able to see bald eagles and other raptors in the distance. Biologists will also be available to answer your questions.
You can also see live birds close up! Two live birds of prey will be on display at the staging area for part of the day. Their handlers usually bring the birds to the staging area in mid-morning. The hawks remain on display until the birds get fidgety and decide they don’t want to cooperate with the crowds. Beginning at noon in the visitor center, one of the handlers will present a one-hour slide show about birds of prey.
From the staging area, biologists will direct you to other sites where you may have better views of eagles and other wildlife of interest. In past years, visitors have seen bald and golden eagles hunting and feeding, as well as prairie falcons, hawks, mule deer, river otters, pheasants, turkeys, sandhill cranes, porcupines, mergansers, Canada geese and other wildlife.
During your trip, you may want to stop and see the dinosaur bones and exhibits at Dinosaur National Monument. The Dinosaur Quarry and DNM’s visitor center are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The visitor center also includes a small bookstore and warm bathrooms.
Southern Utah:
Cedar Valley, about four miles northwest of Cedar City
Viewing in Cedar Valley will take place from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
To reach the site, exit Interstate 15 at Exit 59, and travel west on state Route 56 to 3900 W. Turn right on 3900 W., and travel north to 2800 N. The viewing site is at 3900 W. and 2800 N.
Get a close look
Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the DWR, says spotting scopes will be available at each viewing site so you can get a good look at the eagles. “Biologists and volunteers will also be on hand to help you spot the eagles and to answer your questions,” he says.
You can also pick up a bald eagle poster and information about bald eagles and wildlife watching and birding opportunities in Utah. The poster and information will be available for free, or for a small cost.
The best time to attend
The best time to see eagles on Feb. 9 depends on what’s most important to you: staying as warm as possible or seeing more eagles!
-If staying warm is most important, attend late in the morning or early in the afternoon. Walters says the warmer temperatures during this time of the day are especially important if you bring young children with you.
Late morning and early afternoon is also the best time to get a clear view of the eagles
If you want to see the greatest number of eagles, with fairly good light conditions and reasonably warm temperatures, attend between 2 and 4 p.m.
After 4 p.m., eagles at many of the viewing locations will start flying to trees to roost for the night.
If you want to see the greatest number of eagles,” Walters says, “mid to late afternoon is usually the best time to attend.”
Items to bring
If you attend Bald Eagle Day, dress in warm clothes and bring waterproof boots. Also, if you want to take photos of the eagles, bring a telephoto lens.
“The eagles will be a fair distance from the viewing areas,” Walters says.
Utah’s most popular viewing event
Walters started Bald Eagle Day in 1990 as a way to introduce people to Utah’s wildlife.
“I started Bald Eagle Day because I wanted to make people aware of the wildlife around them,” Walters says. “I wanted to whet their appetite to see more.”
Since it began, Bald Eagle Day has become Utah’s most well attended, and one of its most enjoyed, wildlife-viewing events.
“I think the event is still accomplishing its purpose,” he says.
For more information about Bald Eagle Day, call Walters at (801) 209- 5326, or Division of Wildlife Resources offices in Ogden, Springville, Vernal or Cedar City.
