Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Photos

Heron in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Photograph by Phyllis Wheeler

This weekend we visited Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge for the first time because we'd heard about their 12th annual Eagle Festival on the radio on the morning of the event. The festival was fun and we took advantage of the free admission to tour the refuge as well. As you can see above we spotted a beautiful wild heron. I always feel so blessed when seeing these majestic birds.

Scenic vista in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Photograph by Phyllis Wheeler

We enjoyed walking and driving around the beautiful park and were really thrilled to spot two wild eagles circling above us.

Bald Eagle in Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
Photograph by Ben Wheeler

The eagles were really high up in the sky so the photo above was the best we could get with our current lenses but if we get a larger zoom lens we'll likely go back for some better shots. Still, this is a nice memento of our fabulous day in the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. May God bless you with something near and dear to your heart, dear reader.

Eagle Festival Photos

One winged female bald eagle
Photo by Phyllis Wheeler

This morning my husband heard about the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge's 12th annual Eagle Festival and we decided to check it out. We had a great time and saw this one captive eagle (above) who was wounded in a fight with another bird as well as four wild eagles (two in the refuge and two just outside). In addition to eagles we viewed four different kinds of owls, a hawk and a vulture. There was also an assortment of preserved animals on display. I felt really bad for the one winged eagle. She really didn't seem to like being on display but it was quite amazing to get so close to the beautiful animal. You can see what other activities and displays were available here.

Asian eagle owl
Photo by Ben Wheeler

Screech owl
Photo by Phyllis Wheeler

The owl handlers were really patient. The Asian eagle owl was superbly trained and the poor screech owl was brain damaged but on the positive side, it didn't seem to care that people were crowding around it and taking photos.

Next year, God willing, we're going to bring binoculars so we can better view the wild eagles. What a blessing it was to see these amazing creatures up close. May the God of all peace reign in your heart today!