by Dick Pivetz

     Armed with an array of spotting scopes, cameras, binoculars, donuts and hot coffee, bird-watchers venture out at dawn in search of bald eagles. It's time for Eagle Awareness...And More: 1999 at Lake Guntersville State Park. Dress warmly, wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for one of nature's most fascinating sights as the eagles take to the skies.

     Now in its 12th year, the Eagle Awareness Program at Lake Guntersville State Park has evolved into one of Alabama's most notable and popular wildlife events, and one of the Southeast's Top 20 Events. Weekend activities are scheduled on four successive weekends beginning with a new program Jan. 8th through 10th at Joe Wheeler State Park (near Florence), and then moving the following three weekends to Lake Guntersville State Park.

     The Joe Wheeler program features pontoon boat rides and plenty of field trips; the Lake Guntersville site will host numerous field trips and their always-popular live bird programs.

     The state parks offer a 2-night/3-day weekend package which begins with a Friday night Fireside Apple Cider Social and ends Sunday afternoon. The package offers a variety of demonstrations, programs and eagle-watching adventures to go with lodging, eagle banquet and breakfasts. Rates are $150 for two persons, $140 for one.

     You may make reservations or get additional information on Eagle Awareness 1999 by calling directly to Lake Guntersville State Park (800)548-4553 or to the Division of State Parks Central Reservations (800)252-7275 in Montgomery. In recent years, an Eagle Weekend has become a popular Christmas gift.

     While the adventurous, but often chilly, early morning trips to watch the eagles soar are the highlight of the event, the list of guest speakers from around the Southeast is most impressive as well. The speakers bring a rather unusual assortment of visual aids, much to the delight of children of all ages. These hawks, eagles and owls swoop about the conference room providing onlookers with a close encounter of a natural kind within the toasty-warm confines of the lodge.

     Life in the wild hasn't been easy for these raptors. The eagle population in Alabama had dwindled to near non-existent levels during the 1960s and 1970s. The eagle restoration program began in 1985 in an attempt to restore a nesting population of eagles to the state. Almost half of the eagles released between 1985 and 1991 have returned to nest and raise families, making the program an outstanding success.

     No matter when you visit Lake Guntersville State Park, you'll be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Tennessee River basin and some of Alabama's most scenic landscapes. And if you're lucky, you'll be able to spot an American Bald Eagle soaring majestically across the skyline.

     For additional information on more things to do and see around Marshall County and a list of restaurants and motels, contact the Marshall County Tourism Bureau (800)582-6282. For information on North Alabama attractions, contact the Alabama Mountain Lakes Association (800)648-5381.

Getting There: From Montgomery, take I-65 North to I-59 at Birmingham. Follow I-59 to Gadsden at exit 183. Head north on U.S. 431 to Guntersville. The Lake Guntersville State Park is about 6 miles east of town on Hwy. 227.