Bald Eagles Return to the Quad CitiesWhen the winter blues set in this year, it's time to plan a trip to the Quad Cities for the yearly Bald Eagle Days and Bald Eagle Watch held each January along the Mississippi River. The Quad Cities, which sits on the banks of the Mississippi River, is made up of the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa, and Moline, East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois. Each year, from mid-December through February the 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. Residents and visitors alike look to the skies to watch the eagles, easily identified by the white feathers of their heads and tails, and their immense wingspans. A symbol of freedom and strength, and once on the brink of extinction, the Bald Eagles regularly awe visitors who line the banks of the Mississippi River on crisp, clear winter mornings. Just down the river from Locks and Dams 14 and 15, these magnificent birds of prey gather along the wooded bluffs to spend the winter in the Quad Cities. The waters of the river remain unfrozen, fish is plentiful and old-growth forests provide prime sites for perching and roosting. Quad Cities celebrates these transient residents each January with a series of events, tours and eagle watching opportunities. The Mississippi Valley Welcome Center in LeClaire, Iowa - 15 minute drive from the Quad Cities- will host a Bald Eagle Watch on January 2, 2000. Special events are planned by the staff at the Welcome Center. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers park rangers will present slide programs and set up spotting scopes for viewing. The event is free to the public. Bald Eagle Days is another celebration and is set for January 8 - 9 , 2000 at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island, Illinois. Thousands of residents and visitors turn out for the annual event featuring birds of prey shows, environmental exhibits, wildlife art, and outdoor eagle watching. The Mississippi River Visitors Center on Arsenal Island in the river between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois offers eagle watches and Clock Tower tours every weekend in January and February. There are also a variety of prime viewing locations in the area. The best spots are Lock and Dam 14 at Pleasant Valley, Iowa and Hampton, Illinois. The Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois riverfronts down river from Lock and Dam 15 are also good spots. Also, Sunset Park in Rock Island and Credit Island in Davenport serve as prime viewing spots. If you would like 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. The Bald Eagles that winter in the Quad Cities are growing in number. In 1994 the bald eagle's status was upgraded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from endangered to threatened. If you're planning a weekend stay or a visit during the week, the area offers a variety of accommodations at all price ranges. The Quad Cities, with more than 400,000 residents, offer a variety of winter attractions three riverboat casinos, one non-gaming riverboat, shopping in historical districts like the Village of East Davenport; antiques galore from shops like Riverbend Antiques in Davenport; tours through historical homes, including the Deere mansions; holiday lights along the river fronts of Davenport and Moline; the remarkable John Deere Pavilion; holiday flower show at the Quad City Botanical Center; historical interests at the Rock Island Arsenal Island; Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse, a historically registered theater; nightlife excitement in the Arts and Entertainment District of Rock Island; historical trolley rides; exhibits at the Putnam Museum in Davenport; Davenport Museum of Art; The Family Museum in Bettendorf and John Hauberg Indian Museum in Rock Island. If you like the outdoors, the area offers cross country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing and winter hiking at any one of the areas large forest preserves or parks. For more information on holiday tours, specials, attractions and other information about the Quad Cities, please contact the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-747-7800. You can also visit the Bureau at its web site at http://quadcities.com/cvb Edited by Dave Shultz -Updated 9-2-99- |
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