Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Local photographer, conservationist shared love for nature

Randy Moll of the Westside Eagle Observer published this tribute to Terry.

https://www.eagleobserver.com/news/2021/aug/10/local-photographer-conservationist-shared-love/?fbclid=IwAR0bmn3uxou3FqEy7-UXlO6ixUW2U92LU0hUW0xU5d1PQN9tccs9btqVEEg

Local photographer, conservationist shared love for nature GENTRY -- Those who viewed his amazing photos of birds, butterflies, wildflowers and other native plants and animals in our printed pages and via social media will greatly miss the results of the "daily rounds" of local photographer and conservationist Terry Stanfill. Stanfill, 67, died early Saturd...

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake updated their phone number.

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake updated their phone number.

A newly installed sign at SWEPCO’s Eagle Watch Nature Trail marks recognition of Flint Creek Power Plant for environmental excellence. The Wildlife Habitat Council’s Conservation Certification was announced in August for the power plant in Northwest Arkansas. Pictured here are Plant Environmental Coordinator Scott Carney (left) and Terry Stanfill, who supervises Eagle Watch for SWEPCO. The designation recognizes the power plant’s habitat enhancement programs, including tallgrass prairie restoration, nesting boxes and other bird habitat improvement, pollinator garden landscapes, restoration of native plant species, and environmental awareness education. https://swepco.com/info/news/viewRelease.aspx?releaseID=5723

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Eagle Watch Nature Trail at SWEPCo Lake

Trail named for eagles offers walk by water

Eagle Watch featured on the NWA Outdoors page of the 3/17/2020 NWA Democrat-Gazette!
https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2020/mar/17/trail-named-for-eagles-offers-walk-by-w/

nwaonline.com Hikers clad in green and hunting St. Patrick's Day four-leaf clovers might do their snooping today along the Eagle Watch Nature Trail.

From Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society:
Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Eagle Watch Nature Trail on SWEPCO Lake just off Highway 12 and 1-mile west of Gentry Saturday February 1, 2020. Meet in the parking lot at 9 AM. Co-leader is Terry Stanfill, who supervises EW and is an avid photographer of birds, butterflies, and nature in general. There is a short (0.2-mile) walk on the trail through open field habitat to a viewing platform with good potential to see Bald Eagles, various species of hawks and sparrows, ducks, cormorants, shorebirds, etc. Those with walking impairments will be able to drive in (the gate at parking lot will be open for overflow parking and to allow those with walking limitations to drive to the blind). We will stop at the first observation blind. The new blind takes into account needs of photographers and many years in which the public, including school kids, have visited EW with Terry’s encouragement and assistance. It also includes a ramp that makes it accessible for those with walking impairments. There are places to sit or stand, at several heights, and even a picnic table to sit and write field notes, or snack. EW draws visitors from area schools and clubs, birdwatchers, and many with cameras seeking to capture something of northwest Arkansas’s wildlife heritage. All welcome – don’t need to be a member to participate. More information about Eagle Watch at: http://www.nwarkaudubon.org/placestobird.htm. After this visit to EW, those who’d like to see more eagles can join in a trip about 10-miles north to Decatur.

We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Eagle Watch Nature Trail -- and the many community partnerships that have made it such a special place. Last Saturday's event included recognition of SWEPCO retiree Terry Stanfill for his dedication and stewardship in starting and sustaining Eagle Watch. With Terry are (left to right) Flint Creek Power Plant Manager Sara Vestfals, Terry's brother Greg, and his wife Cris. Happy Birthday, Eagle Watch!

Saturday is the day! Come join the celebration!

Come join us Saturday, Sept. 14!

Eagle Watch Nature Trail is featured in a new SWEPCO TV commercial! Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gidi7GkbhSk

We celebrated Earth Day at SWEPCO's Eagle Watch Nature Trail this past Saturday, with milkweed, pawpaw and other plantings that benefit butterflies and other pollinators. Kids and parents alike enjoyed presentations from Lynn Sciumbato of Morning Star Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (shown here with a kestrel, a member of the falcon family) and Dr. Don Steinkraus of the University of Arkansas talking about pollinators. Thanks to all the participating families, and our presenters, too!

Butterfly gardens, raptors and pollinators will be the focus of Earth Day activities from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 27, at the Eagle Watch Nature Trail in Gentry, Ark. Hosted by SWEPCO and Flint Creek Power Plant, the event is free and open to the public. Eagle Watch is on Hwy. 12 one mile west of Gentry.

Local 4-H club members and other participants will begin by working in gardens that promote butterflies and other pollinators. Later in the morning, the program includes presentations on raptors and other wildlife by Lynn Sciumbato, operator of Morning Star Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, and moths, butterflies and other pollinators by University of Arkansas Professor Don Steinkraus.

Great to have the Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society visit Eagle Watch!

The big Witch Hazel bush was blooming and perfuming warm air during morning’s field trip sponsored by Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society to Eagle Watch Nature Trail on SWEPCO Lake west of Gentry. We had a couple of Bald Eagles fly over us on the drive there, plus a few more during the field trip. I think the big excitement for the 40 or so folks was something brand new – a board walk and shelter built out from one of the viewing blinds to include excellent views of marshy areas covered with Buttonbushes. Our whole bunch was squeezed in there at one point, looking at Song sparrows in the bushes, a Ring-billed Gull that flew over, a single Double-crested Cormorant perched on a snag out in the lake, and last summer’s Baltimore Oriole nest hanging from a leafless limb near the blind. Terry Stanfill, who manages Eagle Watch, told us about a place where he’d been seeing numerous Bald Eagles a few miles north, so off we went. In a compact area west of Decatur, we saw 20 or so eagles, plus Red-tailed Hawks, and Turkey Vultures. A flock of White-crowned Sparrows in some bushes out in a field included Harris’s Sparrow. Folks in our car wound up with a count of 38 Bald Eagles for the day. Next NWAAS field trip is at Devil’s Den State Park on Saturday, February 16, as part of the Den’s Great Backyard Bird Count effort. Everyone welcome.

Eagle Watch has a boardwalk! Construction was completed Jan. 3 on a 63-foot-long boardwalk next to the newest pavilion at the Eagle Watch Nature Trail. It's handicap accessible with a covered 6'x12' landing at the end. This is the latest addition to the half-mile nature trail on SWEPCO Lake at Flint Creek Power Plant, Gentry, Ark. Come check it out! (Terry Stanfill photos)

Swepco Lake gets 22,000 crappie

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission continues its stewardship of SWEPCO Lake as part of its ongoing stocking program

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2018/nov/27/swepco-lake-gets-22-000-crappie-2018112/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_nwademgaz

nwaonline.com Anglers at Swepco Lake shouldn't be surprised if they find an occasional crappie tugging on their fishing line.

Members and friends of Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society and the public are invited to join a field trip to Eagle Watch Nature Trail on SWEPCO Lake, just west of Gentry on Arkansas Highway 12, on Saturday, Feb. 3. The group will meet in the parking lot at 9 a.m. The field trip will be led by Joe Neal, area bird expert, and Terry Stanfill, manager of the Eagle Watch Trail for the Flint Creek Power Plant. There is a short walk on the trail through open field habitat to a pavilion designed to provide high-quality views, and to an older viewing platform, with the good potential to see bald eagles, various species of hawks and sparrows, ducks and other water birds. There is currently an extensive mudflat that should have some interesting shorebirds. After this, the group may travel a short distance to find more wintering eagles on former Round Prairie. This is a slow, easy walk. More information about Eagle Watch is available at www.nwarkaudubon.org/placestobird.htm.

Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society Pop-Up Field Trip at Eagle Watch Nature Trail - Saturday, Aug. 5
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1486809401384143&id=172133076185122

It's a Pop-Up Field Trip! Saturday August 5, 2017. Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society will host a field trip to Eagle Watch Nature Trail on SWEPCO Lake just west of Gentry. Meet in the parking lot at 9 AM. Co-leader is Terry Stanfill, who supervises EW. There is a short walk on the trail to the new viewing blind. Those with walking impairments will be able to drive and park at the blind. There are places to sit or stand, at several heights, and even a picnic table to sit and write field notes, or snack. Free and open to the public. Right now there are quite a few Great Egrets, plus other herons and egrets. There are Double-crested Cormorants and recently one rare in Arkansas – Neotropic Cormorant. In past years there have been a few sightings of juvenile White Ibises around this time. Mudflats are starting to develop and these always attract shorebird migrants. Recently there has been a Wood Duck family in view. Everyone with an interest in Arkansas’s wildlife heritage is welcome. Don’t need to be a member to participate. It will be hot for sure, but also probably birdy. If you have a spotting scope, please bring it.

Directions and more information about Eagle Watch: http://www.nwarkaudubon.org/placestobird.htm

SWEPCO and the folks at Flint Creek are proud to work with the Illinois River Watershed Partenership again this season on the tree farm project. Thanks to the students from Gentry High School's agriculture classes for their great work.

IRWP wants to thank AEP/SWEPCO for planting and maintaining a tree farm for us. They worked with the Gentry High School agriculture classes on Friday to plant around 950 little trees, with around 85 volunteers.

If anyone knows of a landowner in the Illinois River Watershed who would like to have some of these trees for a riparian buffer on their creek or stream, please message us!

New look for wildlife trail

Nice story on the newest features of Eagle Watch Nature Trail -- by outdoor writer Flip Puttoff in today's Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/mar/07/new-look-for-wildlife-trail-20170307/?sports-outdoors

nwaonline.com Soaring bald eagles, colorful butterflies and wildflowers are the attractions at the Eagle Watch Nature Trail west of Gentry. Now, there's even more to see along the level, one-half mile path through meadows and forest near Swepco Lake.