Future Sportsman's Weekend

Join us Saturday, March 23 at Rough River Dam State Resort Park for a fun-filled event dedicated to getting youngsters interested in and actively involved in hunting, fishing, and the Great Outdoors!  Saturday is filled with hands-on activities including basic archery instruction, Explore Bowhunting activities, casting and fishing, target shooting, and educational programming by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  In addition, Grayson's Landing Restaurant will feature a Buffalo and Wild Game Buffet on Saturday evening with seatings at 4:30, 6:00, and 7:30 PM Central (reservations recommended).

Activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. CENTRAL on Saturday and continue into the evening.  Registration for activities and programs is only $10 per participant and overnight packages are available for $135 plus tax and include Saturday night lodging for two, Buffalo Dinner for two Saturday evening, breakfast for two on Sunday morning, and registration for all activities.

While all age groups are welcome, children must be a minimum age of 8 to participate in archery shooting and most activities are aimed at ages 6-12.  For more information about this exciting event or for inquiries about the Buffalo and Wild Game Buffet contact the park at 270-257-2311 or 1-800-325-1713.

Interstate Birding

Broad-winged Hawk
Photo courtesy of Steve Nanz Photography

With the holiday season in full swing, many families will be hitting the highway and embarking on family visits and I’d like to point out the unique opportunity for birding that presents itself during major highway/interstate/parkway travel.  This is a great time to be on the lookout for raptors (birds of prey including hawks & falcons) which can often be seen perched on power lines, telephone poles, fence posts, or in large, leaf-less trees this time of year.

I would venture to say that most people are unaware that this is a great chance to make sightings of a very interesting group of birds.  On a recent trip on the Western Kentucky Parkway I spotted a handful of raptors including Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels, and even a Great-horned Owl perched on an exit sign at dusk.  You may have to train yourself to scan your surroundings for likely “hot spots” (grassy medians, treetops, power lines, fence rows, etc.) in order to begin making sightings but these birds are certainly there to be seen - if you are looking.

Next time you find yourself traveling along a major highway, interstate, or parkway, let your eyes (safely!) wander and you might be surprised at what you see.  Up for a challenge?  See how many different birds you can spot during your travels throughout Kentucky.  For a complete list of Kentucky's bird species, including birds of prey, click HERE

Gone Away is the Bluebird?

Photo courtesy of Steve Nanz Photography

Ever since I was a young child the holidays has been my favorite time of the year and I’ve always been a fan of holiday music.  One line from the holiday classic "Winter Wonderland" always stuck out at me and caused me to wonder where the song was written.  The line reads “gone away is the bluebird, here to stay is the new bird.” Those of us living in Southeastern states like Kentucky are fortunate that the Eastern Bluebird is a permanent resident that can be seen year-round and in the dead of winter.  You might conclude, therefore, that the author of this song was from the north where bluebirds do, indeed, leave for the winter or was simply unfamiliar with the range of the Eastern Bluebird.  After a little research I discovered that this song was written by Richard B. Smith during his time in Scranton, Pennsylvania, a state that does see a portion of its bluebird population migrate south for the winter.  So the next time you hear the song Winter Wonderland in the southeast, be thankful that your winter wonderland will include the beauty of the Eastern Bluebird!