Nature, Wildlife, Eagle, White River, wildlife observation, His Place

Isaac & Rebekah, our resident pair of Bald Eagles, have chicks again!!!

We had new chicks hatch on 3/10/08. They're not old enough to stick their heads out, so we really don't know how many there are yet... but we'll be sure to tell you as soon as we find out!

It's been really neat watching them raise chicks the last two years, and we feel especially lucky they've done it again in 2008!

We see them every day from the Wildlife Observation deck, as they are still staying close to the nest.

Come on out and take a look!

Nature and Wildlife Opportunities...

As you might imagine, the Ozarks offers a wealth of nature & wildlife viewing opportunities. Whether you're an amateur or professional photographer, or just someone that wants to view and experience what we have here in the Ozarks, the opportunities are almost endless...

Right here at the resort, there is plenty of wildlife and seasonal flowers for you to enjoy. You may want to take the nature trail that winds up in Cotter's Big Spring Park. The trail starts here at the resort, and is about 2-1/2 miles long one way, as it follows the river. Close by is Pigeon Creek Trails, where you can hike or ride mountain bikes on 20 miles of stacked loop trails. You can also enjoy Bull Shoals State Park, the Buffalo River and the Sylamore valley, which are all close to the resort. We also have several routes for you to take if you just want to go on a scenic drive.

mexicanhat-2859.jpg (29138 bytes)
Native wildflowers like this Mexican Hat grow along the nature trail

Climate

Winters are relatively mild, with only a little snow. You can expect 30 degrees, maybe even a little colder, but sometimes you'll even get into the 50's. There is less tourist traffic, and this, combined with the birds wintering here make it a wonderful time to visit and take in the wildlife.

Spring has beautiful wildflowers all over the area, along with the dogwoods. Temperatures run from the 50's to the 70's, and is very pleasant.

Summer can be warm, but there's always a cool breeze coming off the river to cool you down. 80's and 90's are the norm, so bring your sunscreen and hats for sure.

Fall - well, fall is beautiful to say the least. You'll definitely want to bring your camera whenever you come! You really should get out on the river to appreciate it. 50's and 60's for the most part, but you'll get an occasional "Indian Summer" and you'll hit the 70's every once in awhile.

whitetail-4505.jpg (48915 bytes)
Whitetail deer visit His Place too!

Photo Gallery

You'll see some of the wildlife we've been viewing in the photo gallery links below. Consider the Photo Gallery Links ALWAYS "Under Construction". I'll be adding to and updating these pages constantly. So, remember to hit the Refresh Button on your browser from time to time to ensure that you are viewing the most current of the collection. This is a new endeavor for us, and we definitely don't consider the gallery "complete" by any means.

Eagles Right at the Resort...

There are wonderful opportunities to view the wildlife and birds right here at the resort, but I have to admit, my eagles are my favorites! We don't have a lot of eagles, for example, only our two frequent the resort, although there are others in the general vicinity and they fly by from time to time. Even though we don't have a lot of them, ours can be observed doing, for lack of a better term, "everyday Eagle things". For example, adding to their nests is a lot of fun to watch. Cranes that think the eagles have fish in their talons often chase them, hoping to make them drop their "fish", when all they have is moss to put in the nest.

The "branch breaking" exercises are hilarious! The eagles fly into a tree branch with all their might, and grab them with their talons in an attempt to break them off. When the branches break, they are added to the nest. Well, the branches don't always break... When that happens, the eagles often fling themselves over the branches, sometimes completely upside down, before they can right themselves. You would have to see this to believe it. It's really funny.

And then, when there is a disagreement between "Isaac & Rebekah" on proper stick placement in the nest, they actually have a tug-of-war to decide the winner. Rebekah, quite a bit larger than Isaac, is usually victorious in these "battles". And of course, there's the hunting. You never get tired of watching them catch a trout by swooping out of the sky.

Guided Nature & Wildlife Observation Tours

We can serve you with Guided Nature & Wildlife Observation Tours on the river to give you an even greater opportunity to view the scenery and wildlife up close. If you want to stop along the way, maybe for a specific photo op or two, we're flexible!

We offer 1/2 day and full day trips. Generally speaking, 1/2 day trips are from here to Buffalo City, and full day trips go all the way down to Norfork. In addition to viewing the wildlife and scenery, you'll learn a few things about the history of the area too.

Currently, we are offering the trips in our new boats, the same ones we have for rent. However, we are currently having a new, extra large boat, complete with a "duck-blind" system, to enhance our tours.

For the photographers

We have recently started working with some of the local photo labs. So, if you get some really great pictures, we can offer you one day service (during the week) to get your film developed, or your digital prints done professionally. We also have a high quality printer and digital imagery software here at the resort, and can help you get the most out of your digital pictures.

My husband, Steve, has quite a background in professional photography, although he's been doing other things for the last several years before we got the resort. All the pictures that you'll see on the following photo gallery links were taken by Steve or me. (All the good ones were taken by Steve - just ask him, he'll tell you :-)

In the past, he's worked for UPI Wire Service, Rutter, Sporting News, and even did a few for Sports Illustrated, in addition to some freelance work. This environment, that we're blessed to be in now, offers so much for a creative outlet - and photography seems to be a natural extension for us, and our hope is that we can use that to add to your experience on the White River.

Steve's just getting back into the photography seriously, and we've pretty much "gone digital". He'll be happy to help you with the basics, and if we can't answer your questions immediately, we will either get the answers for you, or get you in touch with someone who can.

Where we're going with this..

We will grow this end of the business based on YOUR input. We know what we like, but who cares? We want to know what YOU would like to see. Land-based guided tours for wildlife viewing is one of the ideas we want to implement, and blessedly, we have access to some suitable land close by. What do you think? Drop us an email or give us a call. We'd love to hear from you.

Main Page | Rates | White River Lodging | White River Trout Fishing | White River Fly Fishing

Ozark Vacation Activities | Ozarks - White River Vacation Specials | SITE MAP - MORE COOL STUFF | Contact Us