On our latest trip through the canyons of Starved Rock State Park, we encountered a few American Bald Eagles along the river trail. This area is known as a winter spot for eagles - the dam across the Illinois River prevents ice from forming on the water in this area, allowing the eagles to fish all winter long.
The recent warm weather has opened up quite a bit more of the river, so the eagles were not as concentrated in this area as they were earlier in the winter. At times, I've seen 30 eagles on the trees of Plumb Island, just out of reach of most cameras. Occasionally, as they fish, they come close enough to photograph and view. They also rest in the trees away from the busy hiking trails.
I was rather surprised at how few hikers noticed this eagle resting in the nearby trees, but then, most people in this area were hiking the canyons, not looking to photograph or view eagles. The bird watchers normally congregate on the Starved Rock bluff, or other viewing decks, so we had a perfect viewing area to ourselves.
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