Bald eagle watching days in the Chicago area and tips to find them

   Bald eagle on the Lower Wisconsin River
   photo taken by Ted Nelson

Bald eagle watching days are not over just because the Chicago area’s most popular eagle festival is over. Even though Starved Rock’s Eagle Days 2010 came and went did not mean the eagles did. In fact, the return of frigid weather to Illinois should mean better opportunities to view our nation's symbol in the state.

During January and February Illinois has more bald eagles than any other except Alaska. This is due to the fact that Illinois is home to a network of large rivers like the Illinois and Mississippi with dams that keep rivers ice free during the cold months.  Open water allow eagles access to fish, which make up about 90% of their diet.

This is under normal winter conditions and with the thaw that occurred in the last couple of weeks led to many eagles staying north in Wisconsin and Minnesota, so the Eagle Days in Starved Rock did not see the numbers at the Starved Rock Dam that visitors are used to. With the recent cold snap this could lead to the eagles scurrying south to Illinois rivers.

There are several eagle day events that are hovering on the horizon:

Pere Marquette State Park

This state park near Grafton, Illinois is just north of St. Louis about 4.5 hours from Chicago hosts 12 days of eagle watching activities in February. The activities are led by a park naturalist and start at the visitor center at 8:30 and include a seminar, video, and then a drive to view the birds. Reservations are required. Call 618-786-3323 for reservations and check this website for the February schedule.

LeClaire, Iowa Welcome Center Bald Eagle Days

This small town just north of Moline, Illinois has a Bald Eagle Days event this weekend January 30th and 31st. The Mississippi Valley Welcome Center hosts several free programs on Saturday and Sunday. Trolley tours leave the Center at noon on Saturday and return at 4pm and leave at 9am and return at noon on Sunday. The trolley tours cost $25.00 for adults and $15.00 for children.

This could be a great area to view eagles. 44 adult eagles and 26 juveniles were spotted here on January 6 during the last cold spell. 17 adults and 12 juveniles were spotted on January 20 when it was warmer. With the return of cold weather it is likely the numbers will swell, so this could be a great location.  Try heading south to Keokuk if the eagles are not found in great numbers here.  Keokuk reported 195 eagles spotted on January 6.

Cassville Bald Eagle Days

Cassville, Wisconsin about 30 miles north of Dubuque, Iowa hosts Eagle Day Weekend this weekend January 30th and 31st at the Cassville High School. Programs are Saturday only and start at the high school at 10am through 3pm. Volunteer birders will be on hand to assist visitors at the Cassville Observatory at Riverside Park from 8am to noon on both Saturday and Sunday.

Hampton, Illinois Bald Eagle Watch

Across the river from LeClaire is Hampton, Illinois and this small city near Moline has an eagle weekend on February 27. Several programs start at 10:00 am at the Hampton Heritage Center.

Every day is eagle watching day –

It is not necessary to attend an eagle day weekend in order to see eagles. This idea struck me as kind of funny when walking through the masses at Starved Rock last weekend during their eagle days. Why is it necessary to want to see these majestic eagles only when someone sets aside a day and tells us to watch them.

   Bald eagle on the Lower Wisconsin River
   photo taken by Ted Nelson

The eagles are also available for viewing on non eagle days. I recommend getting in the car with a map and drive up and down the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers and get out at state parks and near dams and check out tree lines around the shore. It can be more fun to find and view eagles when they are found with your own initiative and make your own eagle day.

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