Bald Eagle Watching Day this Saturday in Ferryville, WI

Plan now to attend the 10th Annual Bald Eagle Watching Day this Saturday, March 3 in Ferryville, WI at the Village Community Center located on State Highway 35, the "Great River Road. ”This program is sponsored by the Ferryville Tourism Council, co-sponsored by Friends of Pool 9 and is free to the public.

Event activities are from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with doors opening at 8:45 a.m. Returning to the program is the Decorah Raptor Research Project Decorah Eagle Cam organization presenting at 12 p.m. on “What we learned from an Eagle’s Nest”. John Howe and Amy Reis of the Raptor Resource Project and their team will be in attendance for the second time.

Free refreshments and children’s craft activities will be available throughout the event. Ferryville, WI, located right on the Mississippi River, is an ideal place to host Bald Eagle Day. There are many eagle nests in the area, including a new one just south of Ferryville. The Pool 9 section has more nests than in any other part of the Mississippi River.

Live Bald Eagle Programs will be at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. featuring eagles from the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota with Kelsey Griffin as presenter. Learn how the Bald Eagles have returned to this area in increasing numbers and what can be done to support this effort to help eagles flourish.  The University of Minnesota Raptor Center is back for the ninth year with raptors and an eagle.

Local photographic artist Larry Knutson will be exhibiting his award-winning art featuring scenes of nature, eagles and the area. Knutson is a native of Ferryville, WI and the region. His art is well known throughout the Driftless Region and this event is an opportunity to meet him.

At 9 a.m. a program on Bald Eagle Nest Building will take place. Dr. Michael White, with the help of children/youth from the audience, will build a Bald Eagle nest. Learn how “really big” these nests are, how heavy they are and how they are constructed.

At 9:30 a.m. a Department of Natural Resources (DNR) presentation will take place. Brenda Kelly, DNR Wildlife Biologist from the La Crosse District, presents “Duck, Duck, Goose,” telling stories about the ducks and geese of the Upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge-Pool 9.

At 10:30 and again at 2 p.m., the University of Minnesota presents Live Eagle and Raptor Programs will take place. At 11:30, there is a “Hooting Contest” for all ages with awards and ribbons in each of the five age categories: five years old and under, ages six-12, ages 13-18, ages 19-54, and ages 55 and up.

At 12:10 p.m. there will be Middle School Art/Project awards presented to students/teachers in attendance. From 1:15-2 p.m., Kelly McKay will present “Night Roosts of the Eagles” and his research.

De Soto Middle School students, Seneca Middle School students and St. Charles Middle School students are participating in a display of art and science projects that educate about Bald Eagles. Kathy Schwarz, Middle School teacher at De Soto; Lindsey Kuennen, Middle School Art teacher at De Soto; Cody Sime of the Seneca Middle School and Meg Buchner of St. Charles Parochial School are all working with the Ferryville Tourism Council to create this exhibit as part of the day’s activities.  Students compete for awards presented at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony.

For additional information, see the advertisement on Page 11A of the Februrary 28 print and e-edition of The Standard or visit the Ferryville Tourism Council Website at www.visitferryville.com or visit www.facebook.com/ferryvillewi.