Nancy's Eagles at Reelfoot lake, Tn

  Eagle watching at Reelfoot Lake is one of our winter past-times.  When weather turns cold in the North and the Eagles need to find food they head south.  Reelfoot Lake, Tn. ends up being the wintering grounds for approximately 200 American Bald Eagles each winter that we have a cold winter up North. We have at least 20 nesting pair in our area that are year round residents.

 Here at Blue Basin Cove B&B you can sit on my breakfast porch and watch the Bald Eagles in the morning as they hunt or sit quietly in a tree on the  shoreline or on a Bald Cypress out in the lake.  The state does bus tours from the Air Park Inn which is 1 mile from us. I also have an a free Auto Tour map that  I give to my guests and they can drive around and "Eagle Watch" in the comfort of their cars, stop in some of the areas and observe from an observation tower, sit in the comfort of a restaurant on the lake, drink coffee or eat lunch or an early supper in the company of the Bald Eagle and water fowl in the area.  I have found that the colder it is and when the lake freezes are great times to view the Eagles.

Bring your cold weather gear, binoculars and camera with telephoto, and come join us viewing a majestic bird that has made such a great comeback .  The American Bald Eagle is off the Endangered list and will soon be removed from the threatened list.  I would be glad to set you up with a state bus tour, advanced reservations recommended, or send you out with a map and directions to the best places to find the Eagles, and their nests.  They are on the nest here by early February. 

The Eagles begin to leave as the weather warms and by late February and by the beginning of March our population thins out. March is a good time to find  the immature that remain for a while.  We have ]aproximately twenty nesting pairs in the area, including Lake Isom and the Mississippi River.  The state park has programs that are presented each Saturday night during Eagle watching time (peak is Jan-Feb) at the Buford Ellington Hall Vistors Center. Call (after Nov.) and I can tell you the schedule.  They include Bird programs by the State Park Naturalists, Jon Stokes second weekend in Feb,   the 2010 Eagle Festival program the first weekend in Feb is the Raptor Program from the Little Rock Zoo, Knox Martin from the Memphis Zoo is the last Sat. in Jan. with his raptors. 

Come and enjoy the beauty of Reelfoot Lake, Tn in the winter and meet our resident Eagles at the Visitor center. Our annual Eagle Festival is  held the first weekend in February. Register Friday and pick up your information on the event including the goody bag, scavenger hunt information, schedule of the events and sign up for tours if you haven't already. Registration is at the Buford Ellington Hall Visitor Center which is located on Hwy 21-22 on the South end of the lake. Come and enjoy the fun.  Vendors will be set up on Friday eve (some)  and Sat. and  there will be storytelling about Reelfoot and Eagles on Saturday in the  Visitors Center. Bring the children.