Eagle Watch Weekend Returns, Showcasing Winter Eagles Along the Illinois River
Photo By Jordan Raiff |
Wings and Talons volunteer Gavin Dunn securely keeps a female red-tailed hawk in place......read moreread more
Photo By Jordan Raiff | Wings and Talons volunteer Gavin Dunn securely keeps a female red-tailed hawk in place while the bird spreads its wings as Dunn details the multiple uses of the raptor’s claws and wings. see less
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Eagle Watch Weekend Returns, Showcasing Winter Eagles Along the Illinois River
During the harsh winter months, waterways along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers become home to thousands of bald eagles and other migratory birds. Events such as Eagle Watch Weekend at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center provide a prime opportunity not only to learn about, but also to see, the nation’s bird and others in their natural habitat. Held Jan. 24–25, the event offered activities and experiences not readily available away from the river.
Hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Rock Island District in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Starved Rock Audubon Society and Explore Utica, the event was centered at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center. Additional activities were held at the Utica Village Hall, Starved Rock Lodge and the Starved Rock State Park visitor center.
Although the rangers at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center were geared up and ready for a great weekend of eagle watching, nature had other plans.
“Despite extreme weather and an extended power outage, we were able to come together and host a successful Eagle Watch Weekend,” said USACE Park Ranger Sarah Fisher. “Our friends at Starved Rock Lodge graciously stepped up to accommodate our programming on Saturday. By Sunday, our power was back on, and we moved our programming back to the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center.”
One of the key attractions at both visitor centers was the live birds of prey program. Presented in conjunction with Wings and Talons, a nonprofit organization based in Itasca, Illinois, three volunteers led hour-long presentations featuring a red-tailed hawk, a barred owl and a great horned owl.
David Felice of Wings and Talons introduced the birds and spoke about the organization’s mission.
“We are an all-volunteer nonprofit that cares for non-releasable birds of prey, and we do educational programming with them,” Felice said. “The goal of the organization is to promote awareness and conservation of raptors, primarily through education.”
While many people refer to their pets or livestock by name, Felice explained Wings and Talons takes a different approach.
“We refer to our birds by their species,” Felice said. “Some of our birds were taken from the wild by people who tried to make pets out of them, and we want to reinforce the idea that these birds belong in the wild. Often, it’s human interference—not the birds or their environment—that results in them being in captivity.”
Standing patiently on handlers’ arms or perches, the birds drew focused attention from children and adults alike as volunteers answered questions from the audience.
While seeing birds of prey up close is always a thrill, observing them in the wild is an experience many visitors traveled hours to enjoy.
Located along the Illinois River at river mile 231, Starved Rock Lock and Dam, adjacent to the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, provides an abundant food source for bald eagles and other birds during the winter months. As rivers and streams freeze farther north, migrating birds rely on the constantly churning waters below the dam, where fish remain accessible.
Fisher and other USACE park rangers set up spotting scopes along the second-floor balcony of the visitor center, allowing attendees to observe eagles nesting and perching along the river. Members of the Starved Rock Audubon Society rotated between indoor and outdoor stations to share their expertise and ensure scopes were trained on known nests and roosting areas. A warming lamp was also available to help reduce weather-related discomfort.
For those unable to remain outdoors in sub-zero wind chills, several scopes were positioned inside the visitor center.
Despite the arctic blast and Saturday’s power outage, attendance remained strong. Approximately 1,300 visitors attended programming at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, while an estimated 2,000 visited Starved Rock Lodge, 1,200 attended events at Starved Rock State Park and 800 participated at the Utica Gym.
For organizations such as Wings and Talons, events like Eagle Watch Weekend provide valuable opportunities to engage the public.
“We’ve done a lot of work on continuing education,” Felice said. “How we interact with and care for the birds puts their total welfare at the forefront.”
A major annual event for the region and USACE park rangers, planning for the next Eagle Watch Weekend is already underway.
“Planning for Eagle Watch Weekend starts every year in February,” Fisher said. “We’re excited to evaluate this year’s programming and begin preparing for next year’s event.”
