Eagle Days, Jan. 17-21

Students from St. Louis city schools as well as others from Illinois will get a head start this month on the general public when it comes to eagle-watching on the Mississippi River. 

Eagle Days on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge for the general public will be Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 20-21. Special spotting scopes are set up on the bridge so people can get close-up views of birds in their natural nesting and hunting areas on the Mississippi River. 

Viewing times on both Saturday and Sunday are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

In addition, there are special eagle exhibits set up in warming tents on the bridge. The World Bird Sanctuary gives live eagle demonstrations and there is a special exhibit where spectators can help build an eagle’s nest. 

But, before the weekend program, kids from specially selected schools in the city of St. Louis and in Illinois get their own special viewings. 

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, students from schools on the Illinois side of the river will have the bridge to themselves for viewing the eagles. 

Then, on Thursday and Friday, Jan. 18 and 19, eight hundred fifth graders from 20 public and private schools in the city of St. Louis will have their special eagle-watching preview.

Both the school and general public viewings are sponsored by the Missouri Conservation Commission and Trailnet, Inc. The Trailnet organization is working to develop 40 miles of bicycle trails and parks in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

The improved Chain of Rocks Bridge is an important link between Missouri and Illinois in this biking and hiking trail system.

This is the fourth year for both the school and general public Eagle Days, according to Dennis Cooke. He is an outdoor skills educational specialist for the Missouri Conservation Commission. 

Eagle watching in the winter is a special activity for the St. Louis area. 

Liz Lyons is a conservation educational consultant for the Missouri commission. She said, “Eagles migrate south in the winter until they find open water and tall trees. There’s a lot of good habitat for eagles in the St. Louis area.”

She said the American bald eagle has made a comeback in recent years. For a time, the eagle was on the endangered species list in the U.S. 

However, Lyons said the elimination of DDT pesticides and a curtailing of poaching has enabled the eagle to increase in numbers. DDT caused eagles problems when it came to hatching their young. Use of DDT has been outlawed.

Also, laws were passed that made it illegal to possess even a part of an eagle. Lyons said, “If you find even a single eagle feather, you are supposed to turn it in. If not, you could be fined.”

Lyons and Cooke go out scouting for eagles early in January in order to anticipate how good the Eagle Days will be. 

“Last year, we were concerned because it was so warm. We didn’t think the eagles would have to migrate from the north. But, by Eagle Days, the weather turned very cold and there were plenty of eagles,” she said.

Lyons said she enjoys her work on Eagle Days because “the eagle is such a magnificent creature. It’s so beautiful and noble.” 

She added, “When you look at them, it’s as if they know something you don’t. I think it is the eyes.” 

Eagles usually return to the same areas year after year. When they come back, they usually go to the same trees and add to their old nest each year. 

Lyons said eagles nests can be very large. “They can get up to 10 feet in diameter. Also, the largest eagles nest weighed one ton,” she said.
 
 

More information about Eagle Days For more information on events and parking for Eagle Days Jan. 20-21, you can call three different agencies.  The agencies and their numbers are:   Trailnet, (314) 416-9930  Missouri Department of Conservation, (314) 231-3803  Illinois Department of Natural Resources, (618) 462-1181 Also, for more general information about outdoor activities, you can log onto the internet at:   www.conservation.state.mo.us  www.trailnet.org Schools participating in the special preview showings get a packet of information, which includes an outstanding book called “Eagles for Kids,” by Charlene Gieck and photography by Tom and Pat Leeson.  It is part of the Wildlife for Kids series by Northword Press. For information, you can call 1-800-328-3895.