Annual Bald Eagle Watching Day scheduled to be held in Ferryville, WI this Saturday


Bald Eagle Day this Saturday ... University of Minnesota Raptor Center staff and Maxim, the American Bald Eagle, have delighted the Ferryville Bald Eagle Day audience on several occasions. The Raptor Center will be presenting programs once again at this year’s Bald Eagle Day scheduled for this Saturday, March 2. Photo by Sherry Quamme.

The 11th Annual Bald Eagle Watching Day is schedule for this Saturday, March 2 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 take place from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with doors opening at 8:45 a.m.  Returning to the program this year is the Decorah Raptor Research Project Eagle Cam organization presenting at 1 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 participating in the event for the second time.

Free refreshments and children’s craft activities are available throughout the event. Ferryville, WI is home to 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 held at 10:15 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 will also be back for the 10th 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.

The schedule for the 2019 Ferryville Bald Eagle Day is as follows:

9:30 a.m. - Bald Eagle Nest Building: 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.
10:15 a.m. and 2 p.m. - University of Minnesota presents Live Eagle and Raptor Programs.
11:15 a.m. - Are you a great “Hooter”? At 11:30 a.m., there is a “Hooting Contest”.
11:45 a.m. - Middle School Art/Project award presentations to students/teachers present.
12 p.m. - Chloris Lowe, Ho Chunk Nation.
1-1:55 p.m. - Decorah Raptor Research Project: “What we learn from our Eagles of the Mississippi River” - John Howe, Amy Ries and team.
2 p.m. - Live Eagle and Raptor Program.

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 of De Soto, Lindsey Kuennen, Middle School Art teacher of 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 as follows: Category 1 - Creativity; Category 2 - Informative; Category 3 - Judges Choice; Category 4 - Most Artistic. Student teams will receive trophies to recognize their scholastic achievements at the awards ceremony at 11:45 a.m.

Refreshments and specials will be available at the Bald Eagle Day festivities and at local restaurants. For additional information, visit the online presence of Ferryville Tourism Council.