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Bald Eagle
Sightings
 Each year individuals help
the National Eagle Center sight and document migrating eagles.
Visit Eagle Sightings
Winter 2007 - 2008 for this year's counts.
To participate, visit and
print our Eagle
Migration Data Collection Sheet.
At the top of the page please mark your route. Remember you can
only count in one direction unless the trip is a loop. Here are
some suggested routes, but feel free to abbreviate them, combine
them, or make up your own. Stop and count anywhere you see birds.
Eagles are often seen at the stops noted below.
Look for eagles out over the river, in the trees, and catching the
wind up over the bluffs. You can often find them sitting out on
the ice, especially if there is open water near. The adults have
the white heads and tails, immature eagles look more mottled, and
first year birds generally look darker.
Take a good bird book, binoculars, a scope if you have one, a
camera and some hot chocolate. Have fun, and be sure to stop in
and see us at the National Eagle Center!
Visit Eagle Sightings
Winter 2006 - 2007 for last year's counts.
Suggested Routes
Twin cities to Wabasha via Minnesota
From Red Wing go about a mile south of downtown on Hwy 61.
Take a right turn at the Day's Inn and visit Coville Park.
Continue south on Hwy 61 through Frontenac Station, or if you have
time take a left towards the State Park in to Old Frontenac. Stop
at Hoksila Park in Lake City.
From Lake City drive south
(watching trees along the city's river front for perching eagles)
to the south end of Lake Pepin, where Camp Lacupolis is the start
of the great eagle watching. Look for the Lake Pepin Geological
Marker (EagleWatch Sign); this is a fantastic spot at 8 a.m.
December and February-March when eagles are fishing.
Continue farther to the next two pull-outs along Hwy 61 before
Read's Landing (refer to these locations aw Read's Landing N. and
Read's Landing S.). You will see eagles perching, fishing, and
flying around the mouth of the Chippewa River as it empties out
into the Mississippi.
Continue towards Wabasha, looking to your left toward the river to
try to see the eagle nests just above the tree line in cottonwood
trees that sticking out above the other trees. Don't forget to
stop in Wabasha and count eagles on the deck, and meet our
resident education eagles!
Twin Cities to Wabasha via Wisconsin
From Red Wing go about a mile south of downtown on Hwy 61.
Take a right turn at the Day's Inn and visit Coville Park. Retrace
your route and Go over the bridge into Wisconsin on hwy 63. In a
couple miles turn south on HWY 35. Be sure to look out over Lake
Pepin. 
If you are counting in late
Winter or Spring, stop at the Maiden Rock pull-off of south of the
city of the same name. Peregrine Falcons have been returning here
to nest on the cliff above this wayside rest. Continue south on
35. Stop and scan where the Chippewa River enters Lake Pepin. At
Nelson go over the bridge to Wabasha. You can also make a short
trip to Alma (see below)
Winona to Wabasha
Going south on Hwy 61 look at Weaver Bottoms. Fifteen miles
south of Wabasha is St. Mary's Cemetery, and on the left side of
the road is a large nest. Stop and look by the lock and Dam.
Return by highway 61 or you cross into Wisconsin at Winona and
take Hwy 35 north.
Look over the bluffs from
the bridge up to Fountain City, there may still be a nest just to
the north of the lock and damn 5A along the approach wall to the
lock. There may also be a nest easily visible from the deck
in Fountain City.
Take a left at Prairie Moon
Road (north of Fountain City), where there is a funky sculpture
museum on the left. Take a Right at the first road, go to County
Road OO, go left and stay on this road through Buffalo City. This
road will loop back to Hwy 35; take a left and continue on
through Alma, and a few miles later Nelson.
 Side trip: Wabasha
to Buffalo City via Alma
Starting from Wabasha go over the bridge to Wisconsin. At
Nelson turn right and go south on Hwy
35. Just before you get into Alma, Riecks Lake will be on your
Left. In late October and November there are often tundra swans
here.
In Alma stop by the lock and
damn. Also look by the power plant at the south end of town. If
the roads are good and the weather is clear follow the brown signs
to Buena Vista, a city park up on the edge of the bluff. There is
a great panoramic view of the river, and on windy days, birds will
be flying below you.
Continue south on Hwy 35
to county road OO. Turn right and follow the road which winds by
the back waters of Buffalo City. This is an excellent place to
count. County Road OO then takes a left and loops back to Hwy 35.
Head north back to Wabasha.
Or, continue straight instead of taking a left on OO. You can get
a good view of a nest out on one of the islands, and if you
continue, you can park in the lot and walk out on the dike road
(lock and damn #5) Then go back to county road OO and take a
right, and go back to Hwy 35. |
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