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Now that it's beginning to feel like winter (and Christmastime) in most parts of the country, that means lakes, ponds and others bodies of water will soon be covered with ice. And in places where the water remains open and flowing, hundreds of magnificent bald eagles will soon begin congregating, offering exceptional opportunities for viewing and photography.
Few locales are more popular for eagle viewing in the Midwest than the area known as the Quad Cities along the upper Mississippi River. The Quad Cities is comprised of the riverfront cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline, East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois. The area is just a 2-½ hour drive from Des Moines, Iowa, and Chicago, Illinois. It is easily accessible via I-80, I-74, I-88 and several major state highways.
Each winter when the weather turns cold, the Quad Cities area serves as host to a large majority of bald eagles making their annual southern migration from Canada to the unfrozen waters of the Mississippi River. The Quad Cities celebrates more than 40 years of bald eagle education and events in the area.
Just down the river from Locks and Dams 14 and 15, eagles gather along the wooded bluffs to spend the winter in the Quad Cities. The waters of the river remain unfrozen, fish are plentiful and old-growth forests provide prime sites for perching and roosting.
Bald Eagle Days is the feature celebration on Jan. 8-10, 2016, at the QCCA Expo Center located in Rock Island, Ill. It is the largest event in the Midwest dedicated to the national symbol of freedom.
Thousands of residents and visitors turn out for the annual event that includes live eagle programs and live bird of prey demonstrations. There are more than 100 display booths in addition to a 20-foot climbing tower.
Visitors without their own optics may utilize the 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. For more information, visit
http://www.qccaexpocenter.com.
The Mississippi River Visitor Center on Arsenal Island, between Davenport and Rock Island offers free eagle watches and Clock Tower tours on Saturdays on January 2, 16, 23, and 30 and February 6 and 13 at 9:30-11:00 a.m. and 2:00-3:30 p.m. For required reservations, call 309-794-5338. The location is also good eagle viewing anytime.
The Mississippi River Visitor Centeris open daily. Please access Arsenal Island through the downtown Moline security gate. For more information, go t
www.missriver.com.
There are also prime viewing locations in the area where individual may go eagle watching on their own and at anytime. Prime spots include Lock and Dam 14 at Pleasant Valley, Iowa, and Hampton, Ill. The Davenport and Rock Island riverfronts down river from Lock and Dam 15 offer frequent sightings. In addition, Sunset Park in Rock Island and Credit Island in Davenport also serve as prime viewing areas.
For those seeking a guided tour, Quad Cities' naturalist Bob Motz offers professional 2 to 3 hour bald eagle watching tours. He guarantees eagle sightings to tour groups and offers a refund should his tour fail to produce any sightings. He has yet to refund money to his clients. Mr. Motz can be reached at 309-269-3922.
Additional information may be obtained through the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-747-7800 or its website a
www.visitquadcities.com.
- J.R. Absher/The Birding Wire