With winter starting this week, Smithville Lake is probably not on the minds of most people. It’s the perfect season, however, for watching wildlife. With 20 miles of new trails, Smithville Lake offers better wildlife access than ever before.
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Eagle Days is scheduled Jan. 7-8 and is conducted in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Bald eagles follow the migration of waterfowl because they are a good food source for the eagles, Kaullen said. “A fair number of park patrons visit Smithville Lake this time of year to see the eagles in action. We also co-host Eagle Days in January with live animal demonstrations to raise awareness and education about the eagles that visit our area as well as other birds of prey. Eagle Days also provides a good opportunity for citizens to get a close-up look at these magnificent creatures,” Kaullen said.
“Smithville Lake is home to a wide variety of animal life, especially migratory waterfowl, many of which make their home here year-round,” said Mike Kaullen, assistant director of Parks and Chief Ranger.
“The variety of migratory waterfowl at Smithville Lake includes Canada and snow geese, mallards and wood ducks, just to name a few. We also have a number of bald eagles wintering around the lake and they have been very active lately.”
Smithville Lake is a 7,200 acre recreational lake of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Parks at Smithville Lake include two camp grounds, 11 miles of trails, swim beaches, shelter houses and other amenities. They are managed and operated by Clay County Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites.
A schedule of events is available at www.claycogov.com. For more information about wildlife at Smithville Lake or Eagle Days, contact Clay County Parks, at (816) 407-3400. Additional information is available from the US Army Corps of Engineers at (816) 532-0174.