Petit Jean State Park to host Eagle Awareness Weekend

Petit Jean State Park will sponsor Eagle Awareness Weekend, Saturday, Jan. 18, through Sunday, Jan. 20.

The activities will begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 18 with "Owl Prowl." Participants will meet in the lobby of Mather Lodge then take a short hike into the woods to try to call in "the elusive creatures of the night."

Participants should dress warmly and bring flashlights for the one-hour walk.

On Jan. 19, participants will meet at 8 a.m. at Mather Lodge for a car caravan to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge. Many types of migratory waterfowl make their home at Holla Bend including geese, ducks, hawks and bald eagles. The entrance fee to Holla Bend will be waived for those in the car caravan. Participants should allow two hours for the trip and should bring a coat, binoculars and camera.

The caravan will depart at 10 a.m.

At 2 p.m. Jan. 19, a live raptor and birds of prey show will be presented by Lynn Sciumbato, a raptor rehabilitator from Bentonville. Participants should meet in meet in the Mather Lodge dining room for this event.

Another car caravan to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge will leave at 3 p.m. Jan. 19.

The evening activities will conclude at 7 p.m. with a program, "Killer Birds on Petit Jean," at Mather Lodge.

Activities on Jan. 20 will include a car caravan to Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge at 10:30 a.m. and again at 1:30 p.m.

For more information, call the park at 727-5441. Karen Westcamp-Johnson is the park interpreter.