Eagle Days Returns for 30th Annual Celebration

The 30th annual Eagle Days event is set to take place at Smithville Lake on Saturday and Sunday, January 3 and 4, with festivities centered at the Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse. Activities will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, and from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, offering visitors a variety of opportunities to learn about local wildlife and the majestic eagles that call the area home.

This annual event is hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Clay County Parks and Recreation Department. Attendees can look forward to a live raptor program presented by Operation Wildlife, featuring birds that have been rehabilitated after injuries. Inside the clubhouse, exhibits and information booths will be set up by organizations such as the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, Friends of Lakeside Nature Center, Wings of Love, and Clay County Parks and Recreation Department. Many of these displays will include live raptors or terrestrial wildlife, including turtles.

Operation Wildlife will also present captive eagle shows, scheduled for 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6, and at 11:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 7. Seating for the live eagle shows is limited, so attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure a spot.

Throughout the weekend, officials will announce eagle viewing stations at the lake as they identify areas where waterfowl and eagles are congregating. Eagles are frequently seen catching fish at Smithville Lake, but they also follow and feed on waterfowl in the area.

The Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse, located at 18212 Golf Course Drive on the west side of Smithville Lake, will serve as the main hub for this popular wildlife event.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts Contributed to this story.