Wine, Food & Eagle Watching Series

McLaughlin Vineyards in Sandy Hook has launched its 2004 “Wine, Food, and Eagles” series.

Each Saturday through February 28, the vineyard is combining eagle watching, wine tastings and lunch into a comprehensive program. Guests will eagle watch at the Bald Eagle Observatory in Southbury in the morning, wine taste and have a private tour at the winery, and then enjoy a four course lunch paired with McLaughlin wines at the new restaurant, Compass in Newtown.

Space is very limited and reservations are necessary. The price per person is $50 plus tax and gratuity. Call 426-1533 to make a reservation.

McLaughlin Vineyards is a 160-acre farm winery dedicated to producing quality wines while preserving open space and protecting endangered species. The vineyard is host to up to 40 bald eagles every December through March.

The Shepaug Dam on the Housatonic provides an ideal “roosting” area for the birds. The birds perch in the huge trees along the Sandy Hook side of the river. McLaughlin Vineyards, The Nature Conservancy, and Northeast Utilities work together to provide the eagles with a non-disruptive winter home. Northeast Utilities provides an observatory in Southbury to allow the public to view these majestic and threatened birds in a sanctioned and protected environment.