(EDITOR’S NOTE: Tour information posted at end of the story.)

MORGAN CITY — Men, women and children who are fascinated, inspired and awed by the living symbol of this great country, the bald eagle, may want to make plans to attend the 14th annual Eagle Expo and More this month in Morgan City.

The Eagle Expo, a tribute to the return of the American bald eagle to Louisiana, is scheduled to be held Feb. 22-23 in Morgan City in St. Mary Parish. St. Mary and neighboring Terrebonne Parishes boast a large number of the nearly 300 active nests in Louisiana.

The event, which has grown in popularity, features boat tours to view bald eagles, a social and presentation by John Flores, a live raptor program and a photographer workshop by widely known outdoor photographer C.C. Lockwood. Plus, there is the opportunity to meet fellow birders.

It is a tribute to the presence of the majestic bird in the Sportsman’s Paradise, which was removed from the endangered species list in June 2007. Laws banning the use of harmful pesticides such as DDT and greater public awareness and education have increased the bald eagle population across Louisiana and throughout the U.S.

Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau started the tournament in 2005. The Cajun Coast V&CB has partnered with the Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary Program, LSU Museum of Natural Science, Conrad Industries, LUMCON, Taco Bell, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Stazione, the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area and Morgan City Rotary Club to proudly bring the 14th annual event to Morgan City.

The full registration fee includes the Friday night social and speaker, a T-shirt, one boat tour, entrance to the Wings to Soar presentation Saturday and entrance into the Water & Nature Expo. Registration fees for adults for full registration start at $105/$130. Boat Tour only starts at $60/$85 for adults. Call (985) 380-8224 for costs for boys and girls under 12 or for more information. 

For a full event schedule, costs, registration forms and listings of hotel rates, contact the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau at 985-380-8224, visit online at www.cajuncoast.com/eagleexpo or email info@cajuncoast.com.

Friday’s social and presentation by Flores is from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Cajun Coast Welcome Center. Flores is an author, an award-winning freelance outdoor writer/photographer for the Louisiana Sportsman Magazine and the outdoors columnist for the Morgan City Daily Review and Franklin Banner-Tribune.

Lockwood’s highly anticipated photography workshop also will be held Friday. Lockwood is known for his numerous publications and books, including his 11th book, “Marsh Mission,” which focused attention on the crisis of the vanishing wetlands along the Gulf Coast. The workshop includes a 9 a.m. seminar at the Cajun Coast Welcome Center and a noon field trip to focus on birding and marsh landscapes in Bayou Black.

The photography workshop requires separate registration and payment is $195. To register, contact Lockwood at http://cclockwood.com, cactusclyde@aol.com or (225) 245-5008.

The 2nd annual Water & Nature Expo is set from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at M.D. Shannon  Gymnasium. It features exhibits and presentations on outdoor recreation, water safety and protecting St. Mary Parish’s natural resources, a photography exhibit and two Wings to Soar programs.

TOURS AT A GLANCE

Tours to view eagles will take place Friday, Feb. 22, and Saturday, Feb. 23. Featured waterways include the Atchafalaya Basin, Bayou Black, Turtle Bayou and Bayou Long.  Tours are scheduled at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday,  and at 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Each featured boat tour offers something different to attendees.

• The Atchafalaya Basin Tour takes attendees into the largest overflow swamp in the U.S. with 10 distinct aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Home to more than 170 bird species, 50 mammalian species, 40 reptilian, 20 amphibian species and 100 species of fin fish and shellfish, the basin offers more than just eagles.

• The Bayou Black Tour meanders through old oil and gas canals. Birds of prey including bald eagles, Ospreys and various species of hawks call this place home. Other birds likely to be encountered include various species of ducks, wading birds and song bird species.  

• The Turtle Bayou Tour includes two small natural bayous that provide for fantastic views and local wildlife. Aside from eagles, other birds likely to be encountered include anhingas, double-crested cormorants, red-shouldered hawks, white Ibis, yellow-rumped warblers, Carolina chickadees and various species of terns and gulls.

• The Bayou Long Tour includes various waterways including Lake Verret, Bayou Magazille, Four Mile Bayou, Grassy Lake, Bayou Cheramie, Bayou Milhomme and Lake Palourde. On this tour, guests will be able to view bald eagles and their nests, blue heron, great egret, belted kingfisher, white ibis and various species of birds.