District Digest News Stories

Eagle watchers flock to Dale Hollow Lake for annual tour

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published Jan. 28, 2017
Will-Parks Murphy, son of Lt. Col. Stephen Murphy, Nashville District commander, helps his sister Claire to look for an eagle while cruising the shoreline at Dale Hollow Lake Jan. 21, 2017.

Will-Parks Murphy, son of Lt. Col. Stephen Murphy, Nashville District commander, helps his sister Claire to look for an eagle while cruising the shoreline at Dale Hollow Lake Jan. 21, 2017.

Two young sightseers onboard a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge scan the tree lines with binoculars and cameras for a sighting of eagles at Dale Hollow Lake.

Two young sightseers onboard a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge scan the tree lines with binoculars and cameras for a sighting of eagles at Dale Hollow Lake.

A group of sightseers onboard a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge scan the tree lines with binoculars and cameras for a sighting of eagles at Dale Hollow Lake.  Every year groups flock hundreds of miles for the opportunity to scan the treetops in search of wintering bald eagles at Dale Hollow Lake, which straddles the border of Tennessee and Kentucky.

A group of sightseers onboard a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge scan the tree lines with binoculars and cameras for a sighting of eagles at Dale Hollow Lake. Every year groups flock hundreds of miles for the opportunity to scan the treetops in search of wintering bald eagles at Dale Hollow Lake, which straddles the border of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Candy Heath from Livingston, Tenn., scans the trees with binoculars for a glimpse of an eagle at Dale Hollow Lake Jan. 21, 2017.  The annual Eagle Watch tour attracts hundreds of people from Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

Candy Heath from Livingston, Tenn., scans the trees with binoculars for a glimpse of an eagle at Dale Hollow Lake Jan. 21, 2017. The annual Eagle Watch tour attracts hundreds of people from Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee and surrounding areas.

Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Park Ranger Brad Potts uses binoculars to scan the skies for eagles onboard the barge Jan. 21, 2017 at Dale Hollow Lake.

Park Ranger Brad Potts uses binoculars to scan the skies for eagles onboard the barge Jan. 21, 2017 at Dale Hollow Lake.

CELINA, Tenn. (Jan. 28, 2017) – Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Each year on the third and fourth Saturday of January park rangers and staff from the lake host the annual Eagle Watch tour at Dale Hollow Lake.  The barge picks up its first watchers from Lillydale Recreation Area and others at Dale Hollow Resort State park.

According to Stephenson Beason, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District resource manager at Dale Hollow Lake, a new online “live” video feed of two American Bald Eagles nesting has helped the eagles gain more popularity.

“People seem to have an interest in seeing eagles so folks come from all over the country to ride the barge with us scanning the treetops in search of wintering bald eagles at Dale Hollow Lake,” said Beason. 

The tour is popular and unique because the barge travels around the lake spotting various shoreline nesting areas and it provides better chances to not only see one or two eagles, but sometimes even five to 10. 

Beason said the new online “live” video feed at www.daleholloweaglecam.com features two American Bald Eagles nesting on the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline and allows anyone with Internet access or Twin Lakes TV to observe them nesting, hatching and fledging on the shoreline of Dale Hollow Lake.

The video feed was made possible through the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, Dale Hollow Lake Marina Association, Twin Lakes TV, and generous public donations.

“Folks come from all over the country,” said Beason.  “Some as far as St. Louis, Nashville, Memphis, Alabama and Kentucky.  Some people have been on these tours for 20 to 30 years.” 

Beason attended Tennessee Technological University in the 1980s and his biology class participated in the Eagle Restoration Program funded by the Corps of Engineers. He said having a web camera is great because the public can see the eagles nesting at Dale Hollow Lake, which demonstrates the successful program that took place decades ago to restore the nation’s symbol to the region.

The Corps of Engineers approved an easement to install the Eagle camera on Corps-managed public land and ensured the project followed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines. Twin Lakes TV installed the high definition camera high above an eagle’s nest during an inactive period this summer when the eagles were out teaching their young eagles to fly, catch fish, and survive in the wild, and is giving its subscribers access on Twin Lakes TV Channel 955. Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, a non-profit organization, is also promoting the project with local communities.

“This is a great initiative that allows the public to view an eagle’s nest without disturbing them or their habitat,” Beason said. “I hope kids and adults alike benefit from spending time watching the eagle camera at Dale Hollow Lake.”

Eagles declined in Tennessee between the 1950s and 1970s because of the insecticide DDT, which caused infertility or thin egg shells that would break under the weight of adult birds. Due to the banning of DDT and restoration efforts, there are now more than 200 eagle nests across the state of Tennessee.

The Morris family from Westfield, Ind., were visiting their nearby cabin on Dale Hollow Lake and decided to start a family tradition with 14 new family members on the tour.  Their ages ranged from 1 to 16 so they seemed to really enjoy riding on the barge and looking for eagles.

Park Ranger and boat driver Gregory Nivens announced over the boat’s intercom system that it was the Morris’ oldest daughter Andy’s 40th birthday.

“This is a pretty cool present, I’ll take it,” said Andy.

Some of these folks have been on these tours for years and are like family to us staffers. This year the weather is great so we don’t have to worry about the cold,” said Nivens.  “They always come prepared with blankets, snacks, binoculars, cameras and I’ve seen some pretty good pictures.”

This year, new adventurer Kyle Mules and his mother made the trip.  Mules had never seen an eagle and his mother thought it would be great for him to see some and learn more about them. 

“I’m loving this trip and enjoying the great weather,” said Mules. 

Park Ranger Stacey Bilbrey had the opportunity to bring his three young sons onboard and said he always looks forward to seeing folks come back year after year and brave the elements to see eagles.  

“We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather to enjoy the great outdoors on the water,” said Bilbrey.  “Forecasts called for rain but it held out and we had a beautiful day to look for eagles.”

“We'll come back again. This is a lot of fun," Mules added.

The eagle watch tours are free, but advance reservations are required. For more information go to the Nashville District’s website at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Locations/Lakes/DaleHollowLake/SpecialEvents/eaglewatchreservationinfo.aspx.

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Dale Hollow Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dalehollowlake and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam at http://www.daleholloweaglecam.com)

CELINA, Tenn. (Jan. 28, 2017) – Eager sightseers boarded a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers open barge today to explore for American Bald Eagles along the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline. They stared at the tree tops on the horizon for a glimpse of America’s symbol of freedom and learned about how these amazing birds made a comeback to the region in the 1980s.

Each year on the third and fourth Saturday of January park rangers and staff from the lake host the annual Eagle Watch tour at Dale Hollow Lake.  The barge picks up its first watchers from Lillydale Recreation Area and others at Dale Hollow Resort State park.

According to Stephenson Beason, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District resource manager at Dale Hollow Lake, a new online “live” video feed of two American Bald Eagles nesting has helped the eagles gain more popularity.

“People seem to have an interest in seeing eagles so folks come from all over the country to ride the barge with us scanning the treetops in search of wintering bald eagles at Dale Hollow Lake,” said Beason. 

The tour is popular and unique because the barge travels around the lake spotting various shoreline nesting areas and it provides better chances to not only see one or two eagles, but sometimes even five to 10. 

Beason said the new online “live” video feed at www.daleholloweaglecam.com features two American Bald Eagles nesting on the Dale Hollow Lake shoreline and allows anyone with Internet access or Twin Lakes TV to observe them nesting, hatching and fledging on the shoreline of Dale Hollow Lake.

The video feed was made possible through the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, Dale Hollow Lake Marina Association, Twin Lakes TV, and generous public donations.

“Folks come from all over the country,” said Beason.  “Some as far as St. Louis, Nashville, Memphis, Alabama and Kentucky.  Some people have been on these tours for 20 to 30 years.” 

Beason attended Tennessee Technological University in the 1980s and his biology class participated in the Eagle Restoration Program funded by the Corps of Engineers. He said having a web camera is great because the public can see the eagles nesting at Dale Hollow Lake, which demonstrates the successful program that took place decades ago to restore the nation’s symbol to the region.

The Corps of Engineers approved an easement to install the Eagle camera on Corps-managed public land and ensured the project followed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines. Twin Lakes TV installed the high definition camera high above an eagle’s nest during an inactive period this summer when the eagles were out teaching their young eagles to fly, catch fish, and survive in the wild, and is giving its subscribers access on Twin Lakes TV Channel 955. Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, a non-profit organization, is also promoting the project with local communities.

“This is a great initiative that allows the public to view an eagle’s nest without disturbing them or their habitat,” Beason said. “I hope kids and adults alike benefit from spending time watching the eagle camera at Dale Hollow Lake.”

Eagles declined in Tennessee between the 1950s and 1970s because of the insecticide DDT, which caused infertility or thin egg shells that would break under the weight of adult birds. Due to the banning of DDT and restoration efforts, there are now more than 200 eagle nests across the state of Tennessee.

The Morris family from Westfield, Ind., were visiting their nearby cabin on Dale Hollow Lake and decided to start a family tradition with 14 new family members on the tour.  Their ages ranged from 1 to 16 so they seemed to really enjoy riding on the barge and looking for eagles.

Park Ranger and boat driver Gregory Nivens announced over the boat’s intercom system that it was the Morris’ oldest daughter Andy’s 40th birthday.

“This is a pretty cool present, I’ll take it,” said Andy.

Some of these folks have been on these tours for years and are like family to us staffers. This year the weather is great so we don’t have to worry about the cold,” said Nivens.  “They always come prepared with blankets, snacks, binoculars, cameras and I’ve seen some pretty good pictures.”

This year, new adventurer Kyle Mules and his mother made the trip.  Mules had never seen an eagle and his mother thought it would be great for him to see some and learn more about them. 

“I’m loving this trip and enjoying the great weather,” said Mules. 

Park Ranger Stacey Bilbrey had the opportunity to bring his three young sons onboard and said he always looks forward to seeing folks come back year after year and brave the elements to see eagles.  

“We couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather to enjoy the great outdoors on the water,” said Bilbrey.  “Forecasts called for rain but it held out and we had a beautiful day to look for eagles.”

“We'll come back again. This is a lot of fun," Mules added.

The eagle watch tours are free, but advance reservations are required. For more information go to the Nashville District’s website at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Locations/Lakes/DaleHollowLake/SpecialEvents/eaglewatchreservationinfo.aspx.

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps, and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps. The public can also follow Dale Hollow Lake on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dalehollowlake and Dale Hollow Eagle Cam at http://www.daleholloweaglecam.com)