Trail of Tears Sierra Club

Eagle Days!

On Saturday, January 24^th, six Trail of Tears Sierrans braved the cold to look for Bald Eagles along the Mississippi where they gather in the winter. They weren’t hard to find!

Our first stop was at the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area near West Alton, where juvenile and mature Baldies had fishing spots staked out on river ice patches while others watched from the trees. We crossed to the Illinois side and drove north through the small towns along the river, counting the eagles perched on the bluffs and flashing their "whites" in the air above the river. By the time we meandered back into Missouri at Louisiana and stopped at the nearby Ted Shanks Conservation Area most of the Eagles had flown, so we followed the staff’s expert advice and went south to Clarksville, a hospitable little town with a cozy fire by the river for eaglemaniacs. There, as we followed the graceful motions of the eagles flying and fishing around the dam, our count passed fifty and we quit counting. Seeing a bald eagle flying through the air with its talons full is an unforgettable sight!

The day ended with warm drinks and snacks at the Book Nook in Clarksville. We were all encouraged that there were so many juvenile eagles out there, a sign that this once endangered species is now thriving and there will be more Eagle Days for the next generation.

For those who couldn’t come along, Eagle watching should still be good through early February. Check the Missouri Eagle Days website for more information.