Indiana Audubon hosts winter eagle watch trips

Indiana Audubon is hosting a series of winter eagle watching field trips at the Salamonie Reservoir located between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne.

Winter is a great time to go eagle watching, Indiana Audubon’s Whitney Yoerger said. The birds of prey are in their winter gatherings leading up to breeding season and usually congregate together around open waters.

Groups will caravan along the reservoir to observe the eagles.

When are the eagle watching trips?

The trips are scheduled for Saturday and Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. and cost $5 for Indiana Audubon members and $10 for non-members.

Registered watchers will meet at the Lost Bridge East SRA parking lot near the boat launch to being the caravan that will travel to a few different areas with the eagles feed and roost.

Registration is limited and the trips are filling up quickly. Head to indianaaudubon.org/events to register.

What to bring while winter birding

If you’re heading out with Indiana Audubon, Yoerger said participants can bring binoculars, but if they don’t have a pair, the guides have spotting scopes available.

It’s winter in Indiana, so dress warmly and pay attention to the weather forecast before leaving.

Pack a lunch or some snacks and fill up a thermos with coffee or tea to help stay warm.

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How can I see eagles if I can’t make the trip

Indiana Audubon’s trips fill up quickly, but Yoerger said there are plenty of opportunities to spot the grand birds in the state. They tend to congregate near large, open waters like big lakes and ponds or reservoirs.

Eagles are large enough that binoculars are not always needed, but the smaller juveniles are a bit more difficult to spot.

“It’s great to spend extra minutes just enjoying and watching their behavior,” Yoerger said. “It’s probably one of the coolest things listening to their calls back and forth when they’re hunting. Just soak in the experience of those birds.”

Indiana Audubon’s upcoming events

The organization is also working on its Indiana Dunes Birding Festival in mid-May, which features a multi-day experience within the Indiana Dunes National Park.

Before the festival, there are other birding activities for those interested. Raptors and waterfowl are the focus until about mid-March, then once April comes around, there will be songbird and others species events.

Indiana Audubon hosts a monthly Feathered Focus virtual event. It will also host a beginners waterfowl walk on March 16 at Eagle Creek

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Audubon hosts series of winter eagle-watching field trips