Our experienced birder, Terry Allen, began the activities with a bird walk at 8:00 a.m. A new activity for children followed at 9:00: a youth eagle program with Joanne Reed from the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, assisted by "Tom Eagle," (volunteer Kay Trice). The kids then went on an eagle prowl to find the real thing. The highlights of the day were a live bald eagle program with Mike Callahan from Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Education Center and a peregrine falcon program with falconer Andrew Bullen, his gyrfalcon and peregrine falcon, "Gypsy."

"Tom Eagle" (volunteer Dennis Ewell and staff Tom Miller) also greeted all the kids at other children's programs: the eagle paper puppet construction, owl pellet activity, bird house construction, and endangered species puppet show, the birds and beaks activity and Native American crafts with the Nause Waiwash Tribe. The Carrie Murray Nature Center, Salisbury Zoo, and Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center displayed lives birds of prey: the saw-whet owl, screech owl, great horned owl, red-tailed hawk, kestrel and turkey vulture. Wild Birds Unlimited Optics, Tri-State Bird Rescue, and Friends of Blackwater provided information throughout the day. The Hurlock Lions Club dispensed food and drinks.

Other heavily attended programs included "Ospreys: Treasures of the Chesapeake," "How to choose Binoculars and Spotting Scopes," "Raptor Identity and Life History," "Eagles in the Chesapeake Bay Area," Ron Warren's Native American music; and "Eagles As Part of the Native American Culture." Between 50 and 150 people filled the tents to capacity at each program. Volunteer Zeeger de Wilde lead three eagle prowls, whose attendance ranged from an amazing 65 to 80 people.

The day's programs, the beautiful weather, and the efforts of all 22 staff, 23 volunteers, and 22 other partners helped make this the best eagle festival ever at Blackwater.