There was a time, not so long ago, when you would be hard pressed to witness the majesty of an American bald eagle anywhere.
Thanks to years of conservation efforts, the numbers of this high-flying symbol of our country are much higher.
But, if you haven’t seen a bald eagle in person in a while, we come to the time of year that is generally considered to be the best for eagle viewing.
As you probably know, eagles love to go fishing on any available stream (you have seen the videos of the eagle gliding near the surface of the water and suddenly picking up a fish in the river).
What makes January a great time to spot eagles is that, along with the usual food sources of frozen eagles, they seek out places where the water is constantly moving and does not freeze – like locks and dams on the along our stretch of the Mississippi.
A check of the Missouri and Illinois tourist websites shows that most weekends in January have, in some cases, multiple events designed to draw crowds of eagle-watchers.
In Illinois, you can watch the eagle at Père Marquette State Park near Grafton on weekends until early March, in Audubon Eagle Ice Festival in Alton on January 8 and Great River Eagle Days January 22 and 23 at Lock and Dam 21 in Quincy.
In Missouri, Clarksville hosts its annual Eagle Days event, usually the last weekend in January.
And do not forget Bald Eagle Days in Keokuk, Iowa, Jan.15-16.
Bundle up, bring your binoculars and watch bald eagles.
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