By AP/KWMU
Grafton, Ill. – The eagle-watching season is now officially under way along the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.
An American bald eagle named Liberty ushered in the season over the weekend near the Metro-East town of Grafton.
The 14-year-old bird perched on its keeper, Dana Lambert, as Lambert answered questions from the audience of about 30 people.
Bald eagles seen around St. Louis, Grafton and Alton usually fly down from northern states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota. Lambert said that so far this year, mild temperatures have kept the majority of wintering bald eagles away from the River Bend. As the weather gets colder, though, their numbers will increase.
The annual "Bald Eagle Days" are held during cold months at the Chain of Rocks Bridge in north St. Louis.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources notes a number of state parks also offer chances to see eagles. They include:
- Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park, West Alton. (confluence of Missouri and Mississippi Rivers)
- Katy Trail State Park, Clinton to St. Charles. Good viewing spots lie between Blufton and Portland and Providence and Hartsburg and in the Bernheimer area.
- Meramec State Park, Sullivan. December and January are peak eagle-viewing months at this park, which lies along the Meramec River.