Soaring with the Eagles

All eyes will be on the sky at the third annual Eagle Expo in Morgan City Feb. 14-16. Eagle enthusiasts can tour local waterways searching the skies for the regal birds and learn from some of the region’s top nature experts and wildlife photographers.

Last year, the three-day event drew 100 people, according to Carrie Stansbury of the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau. She expects the number to grow with this year’s lineup.

“We’re really excited about showing off all our region has to offer at this expo,” Stansbury said. “People are always surprised to see you can drive on the side of the road and see bald eagles here. Sometimes we take that for granted.”

The expo kicks off in Patterson with an optional workshop on digital bird photography with renowned wildlife photographer CC Lockwood. Following the lecture, participants will take an afternoon boat trip to Bayou Black to try out their freshly learned skills. Lockwood’s work has been featured in “Smithsonian Magazine” and “National Geographic Magazine.” His 11th book, “Marsh Mission,” focuses on the state’s disappearing marshland.

Another addition to this year’s expo is seminars Feb. 16 by wildlife conservationist David Hancock.

Hancock has gained worldwide acclaim for his “Live Bald Eagle Streaming Video Cam.” He’ll talk about the bald eagle recovery and using wildlife cameras in education.

Back by popular demand is a choice of area boat trips. Participants can choose between a tour of the Atchafalaya Basin with Cajun Jack, Bayou Black with Cajun Man, Lake Verret with Captain Ginger & Friends or Bayou Chene with members of the Bayou Terrebonne National Estuary Program and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

“Last year, every tour had lots of sightings of bald eagles,” Stansbury said, “which was thrilling for those who attended.”

With the number of eagles continuing to rise in the Barataria and Terrebonne basins, the sightings should be higher. Today, there are 256 active nests in Louisiana, a large concentration of which is in the Tri-parish area. To learn more about the Eagle Expo, visit https://eagles.btnep.org or call Stansbury at (985) 395-4905.