 Photo Credit: Saffron Blaze, via http://www.mackenzie.co | 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 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. It’s not uncommon to see more than 10 eagles in one tree! Bring your binoculars and take a trip this winter to this Upper Mississippi River region in Iowa and Illinois to catch a glimpse of the country’s national symbol. Take part in the many Bald Eagle Watches in January and February 2017 that happen in the communities that line the banks of the Great River Road from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Quincy, Illinois. For more information to start planning a winter Mississippi River getaway, visit www.TravelMississippiRiver.org |
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