Bald Eagle Day viewing in southeastern Utah

By Sun Advocate

Carbon County residents will get the opportunity to view and learn about bald eagles as part of the Division of Wildlife Resources’ annual Bald Eagle Day on Feb. 7.
Admission to the annual Watchable Wildlife program event is free and viewing times are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The celebration will take place at Desert Lake in Emery County.
To get to Desert Lake, travel south from Price on Utah Highway 10 (toward Huntington). Follow the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry signs.
Desert Lake is situated just east of Elmo. Once at Desert Lake, there will be signs directing visitors to the location where bald eagles can be observed.
The DWR will help visitors with information about bald eagles and birds of prey.
Several spotting scopes will be set up to give visitors a closer look at the birds.
The DWR will also have a display of stuffed and mounted raptors for public viewing, along with free posters and a publication on bald eagles.
The most comfortable viewing times are late morning or early afternoon, when the warmest temperatures and the best visibility are available. The warmer temperatures are especially important for young children.
Viewers can expect to see eagles during the late morning and early afternoon but not as many as just before sundown, when eagles “go to roost” for the evening.
Watchable Wildlife coordinator Bob Walters advises those attending to dress warmly and, if there’s snow on the ground, to wear waterproof boots.
For those interested in photographing the eagles a telephoto lens is a must, as the eagles will be some distance from the viewing areas.Photographers who don’t bring the proper equipment and try to get close to the eagles for a better shot will most likely scare them away, losing their chance to photograph them and ruining the viewing experience for all those who attend, Walters said.
Bald Eagle Day began in 1990 as a way to introduce people to Utah’s wildlife.
For more information contact the Price DWR offices.