Eagle Awareness Weekend 2003 continues with walking tours, van tours and boat tours on Bull Shoals Lake. Three special programs featuring eagles and other birds of prey also are on tap.

This is the 15th annual Eagle Awareness Weekend, which is intended to give people a chance to see bald eagles that winter in the Ozarks and other wild birds.

Activities took place at 9 a.m. on Saturday 1/11/03 with an avian adventure walk at Gaston's River Trail and a Watchable Waterfowl Van Tour that set out from Gaston's Conference Center. There is no charge for either.

Another walk took place at 11 a.m. and van tours were also scheduled for 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

At 11 a.m. there was an eagle cruise on Bull Shoals Lake with the boats leaving from Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock. There was also a cruise at 2 p.m.

At noon, raptor rehabilitator Lynn Sciumbato gave a presentation a Gaston's Conference Center that included many live birds of prey, including hawks, owls, and other injured birds that she has cared for.

At 3:40 p.m., Howard Davis, an expert falconer and keeper of birds of prey demonstrated some of their abilities.

At 5:30 p.m., Little Rock Zoo staff members had a live bald eagle and other birds of prey to demonstrate their abilities.

Eagle Awareness Weekend is sponsored by Bull Shoals-White River State Park, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gaston's White River Resort, Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock and area merchants.