Nearly 80 bald eagles spotted in one day during survey at southeast Colorado reservoir

HASTY, Colo. (KRDO) - If you've ever wanted to see bald eagles in the wild, southeast Colorado is the place to be.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reports that 78 of the large raptors were spotted Friday at John Martin State Park/John Martin Reservoir during a survey conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

CPW says the reservoir was 90 percent covered in ice and it was bitterly cold, but the eagles didn't seem to mind.

The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782 when it was placed on the Great Seal.

Fun fact: Benjamin Franklin was not a fan of the bald eagle. The Founding Father wanted the turkey to be the country's national bird instead.