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Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. - Watch eagles take flight and imagine yourself soaring among the majestic birds at the Lake of the Ozarks Eagle Days on Jan. 7-8, 2012 in Lake Ozark. The event is presented by the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau and Osage National Golf Resort.
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Approximately 2,800 eagles migrate to Missouri every year, with roughly 100 making their homes at the Lake of the Ozarks.
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"Eagle Days is a fun, free and educational event that celebrates the Lake of the Ozarks' role in the lives of these magnificent birds of prey," said Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau. "Eagle Days is one of many ways we showcase the natural beauty, fantastic places and great people of the Lake of the Ozarks. All year long there's always something exciting and fun happening at the Lake and Eagle Days is one of our great winter activities."
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Thousands turn out to witness the migration of eagles.
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About 2,800 eagles migrate to Missouri each year, ranking the state third in eagle population. Over 100 of these eagles migrate to and make their homes in the Lake of the Ozarks area.
Eagle Days at the Lake of the Ozarks has grown significantly since its inception in the mid 1980s, according to Sue Westenhaver, one of the original event organizers. Six hundred and fifty-one eagle watchers attended Eagle Days in 1999 (the first recorded attendance figure). Last year, the event drew over 3,700 people.
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Children love watching the eagles soar overhead.
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"It's incredible to watch little kids get excited the first time they use spotting scopes to see a bald eagle perched in a tree," said Westenhaver, the chairperson of the Lake's Tri-County Lodging Association and owner/ innkeeper of the Inn at Harbour Ridge bed and breakfast in Osage Beach. "Early on, my kids and their classmates lined up at the scopes or watched the indoor program; now it's my grandkids and their friends. It's been enjoyable to see this event prosper as it has over the years."
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The historic Willmore Lodge is one of four Eagle Days locations at the Lake.
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Eagle Days festivities take place at four sites - Willmore Lodge, Osage National Golf Resort, Bagnell Dam and the paddlewheel boat, Tom Sawyer. The entertaining and educational event features live eagle programs conducted by the World Bird Sanctuary, the opportunity to see eagles in their natural habitat and a variety of fun eagle-related activities for adults and children.
"The chance of witnessing one of these spectacular creatures flying through the air is one of many reasons Eagle Days is so popular," said Michelle Cook, director of marketing for the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. "You have the chance at every event to see something you may never have seen before. Even those who return to Eagle Days year after year always take away something new, because it's never the same experience twice."
 | | The World Bird Sanctuary's live eagle programs will entertain and educate attendees. |
The World Bird Sanctuary's live eagle programs are presented hourly from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday at Osage National Golf Resort (400 Osage Hills Road in Lake Ozark). Each 30-minute, FREE program features three species of eagles (including a mature bald eagle) and Mischief, the African White-necked Raven (who collects donations for the feeding program with his beak). Throughout the weekend, a World Bird Sanctuary gift shop is open to the public.
"There's no better way to get an extended, all-around look at our national symbol than at Eagle Days," said Terry Graves, the World Bird Sanctuary's director of education. "For two days, you get the best of both worlds at the Lake. At our program you can see an eagle up close and personal from mere feet away. Or you can see them soar in their natural habitat from Willmore Lodge or the Dam with volunteers who can help point them out to you."
Two days of interactive exhibits and crafts, as well as photo and coloring contests highlight Eagle Days activities at Willmore Lodge, located at #1 Willmore Lane, 1/4 mile northwest of Bagnell Dam. The Lodge, an Adirondack-style structure set atop a limestone bluff, was once the headquarters of the original Bagnell Dam project and is the current home of the Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Admission to the event at the Lodge is free.
Willmore Lodge's outer deck is one of several ideal places to observe the eagles. In addition to the Lodge's outer deck, there are also two viewing points above and below Bagnell Dam. Binoculars and cameras are recommended to get a better view of the birds, but aren't necessary to enjoy the flight of the eagles. Eagle Days spectators are strongly encouraged to stay informed of weather conditions and to dress accordingly.
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Take an eagle-view cruise on the Tom Sawyer.
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For a unique view of the eagles, visitors also may take a 30-minute eagle-watching cruise aboard the Tom Sawyer (weather permitting). Eagle-watching cruise tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased on board prior to departure. The excursion boat will depart its dock near Bagnell Dam on Saturday at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. and on Sunday at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Volunteers from the Lake of the Ozarks Chapter of the Missouri Master Naturalist program also will be on hand to answer visitors' questions and offer eagle-viewing pointers at Osage National Golf Resort, Willmore Lodge and Bagnell Dam.
For more information about Eagle Days, call the Lake of the Ozarks Convention & Visitor Bureau at 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit LakeoftheOzarksEagleDays.com.
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