See the Bald Eagles on the Mississippi River this Winter

Illinois & Iowa – The Mississippi River is the second most-visited U.S. natural resource (after the Grand Canyon). The bald eagles find it a pretty popular place to visit as well.

Each year from mid-December through February, thousands of bald eagles migrate south to winter along the Mississippi River near the lock and dams. Turbulence created below the dams provides open water and a smorgasbord of stunned fish for eagles to feast upon. In addition, the wooded bluffs that overlook the Mississippi are excellent habitat for roosting and an increasing number of cases nesting.

Take a trip this winter to this Upper Mississippi River region in Iowa and Illinois to catch a glimpse, perhaps for the first time, of the country’s national symbol. Take part in the many Bald Eagle Watches in January and February 2011 that happen in the communities that line the banks of the magnificent Great River Road route from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Quincy, Illinois.

During the Dubuque Bald Eagle Watch on Saturday, January 15, there is outdoor viewing at Lock and Dam 11 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Watch Live Eagle & Bird of Prey Programs by the University of Minnesota Raptor Center at 9:30 am, 12:15 pm & 3:00 pm, and Live Wolf Presentations at 11:00 am & 1:45 pm. The Indoor Exhibits are open on that Saturday from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm at the Grand River Center – Port of Dubuque, 500 Bell St., Dubuque, IA. There are trolley rides from Grand River Center to the National Mississippi River Museum and the outdoor viewing area.

Have a chance for multiple sightings during the Bald Eagle Bus Tours on January 15, and February 15 and 26. This four-hour bus tour of five bald eagle wintering communities shows bald eagles feeding, roosting, and/or nesting. Reservations required; adults are $85, youth under 17 are $60.

The Clinton Bald Eagle Watch is Saturday, January 8 at Lock & Dam 13 (Fulton, IL) and Clinton Community College for indoor exhibits. Outdoor viewing is at Lock & Dam 13 is 8:30am to 3:30pm. Exhibits and programs at Clinton Community College, 1000 Lincoln Blvd. in Clinton, IA, are from 9am to 2pm. There is free bus service from the college to the outdoor viewing area.

The Mississippi Valley Welcome Center in LeClaire, Iowa, hosts a free Bald Eagle Watch on January 29-30. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers present slide programs and set up spotting scopes for viewing. On Saturday, January 29, there are half-hour presentations by the Corp. of Engineers and Wapsi Environmental Center at 10 am, 11 am, and 12 noon. Spotting scopes will be set up by the Corp. at Lock & Dam 14 and they will assist with spotting Eagles. The Wapsi Environmental Center will have an American Kestral and a Screech Owl. On Sunday, January 30, the presentations are at 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm.

Bald Eagle Days is the feature celebration on January 7-9, 2011, at the QCCA Expo Center located at 2621 4th Avenue in Rock Island, IL. It is the largest event in the Midwest dedicated to the United States’ national symbol of freedom. Hours: Friday 4-8 pm, Saturday 10 am-8 pm, and Sunday 10 am-5 pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $1 for kids.

Thousands of residents and visitors turn out for the annual event which includes: live eagle programs and live bird of prey demonstrations. In addition to the above, some of the Midwest’s finest artists exhibit in the wildlife art show and sale. Also included is the Pella Wildlife Company accompanied by their wolves. There will also be spotting scopes set up and manned by the Quad City Audubon Society at Sunset Marina in Rock Island for a great eagle watching opportunity with free shuttle bus service from the Expo Center.

The Mississippi River Visitor Center on Arsenal Island, between Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois, offers free eagle watches and Clock Tower tours every weekend on Saturdays and Sundays from January 15-February 20 at 9:30 am, 11:00 am, and 1:00 pm.

The Muscatine County Arts Council presents the 16th Annual Eagles and Ivories Concert Series Weekend on January 29 & 30. The Eagles and Ivories concert series features solo artists Brent Watkins, Marty Mincer, Bill Edwards and Adam Swanson. Two local bands, the Mad Creek Mudcats and the Just 4 Fun Band, will perform, too. Concert tickets are $15.00 each and are available at the door.

On Saturday, January 29, go eagle-watching in Muscatine during the day with outdoor viewing from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Riverside Park and Lock & Dam 16. There is Live Eagle programs at 9:30 am & 12 noon and conservation and environmental booths at the Riverview Center, 1100 Harbor Dr. in Muscatine, Iowa, in Riverside Park.

On January 29, learn about bald eagles during a short, free Eagle Program at the Port of Burlington Welcome Center, 400 N. Front St. in Burlington, IA. After the program meet over at Lock & Dam 18 to physically count eagles. The event will take place from 10 AM to 12 noon.

The Keokuk Bald Eagle Appreciation Days are Saturday and Sunday, January 15-16, with indoor programs and an Environmental Fair at the River City Mall, 300 Main St., Keokuk, IA. It includes Native American activities, Woodcarvers’ Exhibits and Demonstrations, World Bird Sanctuary Presentations, “A Salute to Songbirds” Traveling Exhibit, interesting seminars, and an Artifact Road Show. There are also Live Eagle Programs on Saturday from 9:00 am-3:00 pm and Sunday from 10:00 am-3:00 pm. There is outdoor viewing along the River Front.

The Quincy Bald Eagle Watch is Saturday, January 29 with outdoor viewing at Lock and Dam 21 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Since the communities are fairly close to each other, it’s easy to plan a trip length for what you’re looking for by going north to south, south to north, or jumping in in the middle!

The Travel Mississippi River partnership is comprised of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and Chambers of Commerce along the Mississippi River in Iowa and Illinois from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Quincy, Illinois.