EAGLE WATCHING Every winter, a small stretch of the Illinois River, between Starved Rock State Park and the Illinois Waterways Visitors Center, becomes a temporary condominium for a convocation of eagles! These majestic creatures, with wingspans upward of eight feet in length, pay Starved Rock a visit every year when more northern state’s rivers and lakes begin to freeze. The Illinois Audubon Society’s Plum Island Sanctuary, located at the base of the Starved Rock Lock, is commonly used by these eagles as a wintering site. The island’s seclusion, sturdy trees and proximity to a non-iced over section of the river, makes Plum island particularly desirable real estate for these feathered fliers.
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French Can yon During their wintering season, which lasts anywhere between December and March, you’ll often spot these eagles circling above broken ice, trying to find their next meal, or roosting among the island’s tallest trees. To see these eagles for yourself, head to the Lover’s Leap Overlook, the peak of Starved Rock or the aptly named Eagle Cliff Overlook. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars or a camera with a large tele-photo lens. If you left your binoculars at home, don’t fret, Starved Rock Visitors Center also loans out complementary pairs at the front desk.
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