My husband, daughter and I went on a weekend adventure with a small group to Lake Thunderbird in Norman, OK for some eagle watching!
We met the group at the Discovery Cove Nature Center within Lake Thunderbird State Park in Norman for an information session, then toured the park to catch a glimpse of magnificent eagles in their winter home. It was chilly outside, that’s for sure; we made sure we were bundled up and then brought our binoculars for a front row seat of whatever we could find.
As the lower temperatures of winter spread across the country, hundreds of bald eagles make their way to Oklahoma. The winter months bring approximately 800 to 2,000 majestic bald eagles to our Sooner State during the season’s peak. Migrating south to Oklahoma from Canada and the northern states in search of warmth, these giant birds join round-about 80 pairs of fellow bald eagles that are year-round residents of Oklahoma, creating a paradise filled with an immense amount of eagle-viewing opportunities.
The bald eagle’s migration into Oklahoma begins in November and early December, and peaks in January and February, when numerous bald eagle watching events pop up around the state to grab the opportunity of the increased numbers. Primarily a fish-eater, the bald eagle prefers to settle near Oklahoma’s lakes and rivers for easy access to food. Groups of eagles will rest together, or “roost,” in trees along the shores, with the same roost trees being used each year. In the case of this weekend, the eagles we went in search for roost at a lake closer to where we live, Lake Stanley Draper, then fly about 50 miles a day in total to and from Lake Thunderbird to go fishing. To be able to watch a bald eagle peruse its daily routine is a truly awe-inspiring endeavor.
During this Lake Thunderbird eagle watch journey, we unfortunately did not get a glimpse of these magnificent creatures, but we did see vultures, blue heron, seagulls, hanging basket bird nests, and much more! There is another group outing scheduled for the 24th of this month.
After our few hour expedition we worked up a good appetite and found a delicioso Mexican restaurant to eat at. On the way there, the sky looked pretty awesome, I had to catch a few shots of it.
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