Missouri Eagle Days

Taken by Adrian Pingstone in July 2004.

Did you know that Missouri is a top stop for many migrating bald eagles during the winter? Well, Missouri is actually a very popular "vacation spot" for our fine feathered friends, who are drawn to our state's large rivers, lakes and wetlands. In fact, all of our natural beauty, small game and habitat make Missouri one of the best spots in the lower 48 for avid bird watchers to spot a bald eagle.

In celebration of our winter visitors, and to bring attention to Missouri's year round bald eagle population, the Missouri Department of Conservation hosts Eagle Days throughout the state during the months of December, January and February, garnering you an excellent opportunity to learn more about our large flying friends through live captive-eagle programs, exhibits, activities, videos and MDC guides with spotting scopes. You'll be able to scan the water's edge and large trees for the more than 2,000 reported bald eagles, who may measure over six foot from wingtip to wingtip!

If you're looking to take advantage of the MDC Eagle Days, you'll want to hit up these locations during these dates (click to visit the area via Google Maps):

• December 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and December 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Contact number (816) 271-3100
• January 10 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and January 11 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Smithville Lake Paradise Pointe Golf Course Clubhouse. Contact number (816) 532-0174
• January 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and January 18 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the MDC Springfield Conservation Nature Center. Contact number (417) 888-4237
• January 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and January 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Contact number (314) 877-1309
• January 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and January 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lock and Dam 24 an Apple Shed Theater in Clarksville. Contact number (660) 785-2420
• February 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge near Puxico. Contact number (573) 222-3589
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge is a personal favorite of our family! A great place to see a ton of nature...

If you'd rather avoid the guided tours and just take a weekend or weekday to try your luck at spotting a bald eagle, you may want to visit these sites (click to visit the area via Google Maps):

• Lake of the Ozarks at Bagnell Dam, just east of Bagnell, MO.
• Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, on route K southwest of Columbia, MO.
• Lock & Dam 24 at Clarksville, MO
• Lock & Dam 25 east of Winfield, MO
• Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, just northwest of Puxico, MO
• Personal note: I LOVE this place and bald eagles may be seen here nearly year round
• Moses Eagle Park, near Stella, MO
• Old Chain of Rock Bridge, south of I-270, just off Riverview Drive in St. Louis, MO
• Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area, just east of West Alton, MO
• Schell-Osage Conservation Area, north of El Dorado Springs, MO
• Smithville Lake, north of Kansas City, MO
• Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge, south of Mound City, MO
• Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, south of Sumner, MO
• Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, southwest of Branson, MO
• Truman Reservoir, west of Warsaw, MO

As always, enjoy and thank you for reading. I hope to see you out taking in an eyeful of eagle this winter. Please remember to bundle up though, Missouri gets C-O-L-D during these prime eagle viewing months.

Of course, if you want to get AMPED about the bald eagles, you may want to listen to a bit of this: Tick tock, tick, doo, doo, doo, doo... I wanna fly like an eagle, to the sea, fly like an eagle, let my spirit carry me...Hey, it sounds great when I sing it in my shower...

More Information:

Local Treks on facebook 
MDC Eagle Days Webpage
Additional Information On The Bald Eagle Photo At Top

Come Fly With Me: MDC's Peregrine Falcon Web Cam

A screen capture from today May 22, 2014. All three chicks are mighty hungry!

I have seen these majestic birds many times on our hikes here in Missouri, and if you haven't had the opportunity to check out the SiouxZee, Coal and their new baby peregrine falcons on the Missouri Department of Conservation's FalconCam, then your missing out! You can view the live stream from 7am - 7pm every day of the week on FalconCam which is a perfect time for taking an "eye" break while at work, right? If you're looking for a bit of mood music to watch the camera by you may want to visit Old Blue Eyes on YouTube and play it in the background.

Right now is a prime time to watch as the baby peregrines and their appetites are getting bigger and bigger. Both mother SiouxZee and father Coal are always out finding more food in order to keep the babies growing.

A screen capture from FalconCam. Here the first chick to hatch is only 1 hour old.
Found on MDC Online
http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/wildlife-cameras/peregrine-falcon-web-camera

The site also includes a link to educational materials, where you can learn more about the fastest animals on Earth. You may also be interested in some of the questions that have been asked before, there are some egg-cellent (a horrible, nasty, disgusting pun, and for that I apologize) answers. If you have a question you can also email Jeff Meshach at the World Bird Sanctuary and see if he'll answer your questions too!

More Information

MDC FalconCam Homepage

For the Birds: Juden Creek Conservation Area & More!

We had passed the bird house topped ancient gate and the small sign, pointing the way to Juden Creek hundreds of times. It seemed each time we took a jaunt to Trail of Tears State Park we would say, "We really should drop by there" and then pass on by... But, something was different on a particular Sunday, something made us turn in to Juden Creek Conservation Area, and I'm glad that whatever unforeseen force pushed us to visit the small park did, because the questions raised on our hike provided me a better vision and understanding of the area and even a bit of its history.

First, here's the HIKE!
In order to get to the trail head, you will take Hwy 177 (Big Bend Road) north through Cape Girardeau, MO. You'll then turn right (East) on old Missouri Route V, then turn right on Cape Rock road. You'll discover the parking lot for the trail on your right. This fairly worn trail will take you through Twin Trees Park, across a narrow band of Juden Creek Conservation Area, and then ending (somewhat abruptly) in the Kelso Sanctuary Natural Area. This trail does have inclines/declines to it and is not surfaced, so I would consider it to be a "moderate" hike.

As we approached the trail head we were instantly aware of the wildlife, particularly the numerous songbirds, who chirped and sang as we began our journey. It wasn't far up the short ascent that the canopy of the hardwood forest quickly enveloped us as we made our way through the Twin Trees Park portion of the trail. A quick survey of the American Beech that are scattered throughout the woods provided me an explanation of why so many songbirds were to be heard here, as they love to devour the fruit of this tree. Interesting note on these Beech trees is that this is about as far West as you will find them, and one of the few places that they grow naturally in Missouri.

As we continued we noticed TONS of wildflowers just beginning to emerge along the trail, with nearly every color of nature's vivid palette brilliantly brushed on to their petals. I would find out only later, that this area is known for the migratory birdwatching and the wildflowers. In fact, Wildflower Walks are sometimes provided during spring by the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center so be sure to check their page if you're heading out there!

In the trees we would occasionally spot odd, dark, egg-shaped canisters that we assumed were installed to serve as bird houses, in order to attract even more birds to the area, so that they may sing even more songs for trail goers. Many of these bird house seemed to have their entrances widened via the teeth of some squirrels or perhaps they were there to attract a different type of wildlife and had the entrances widened by man. If you may know what these canisters are there for, or what particular birds they may be attracting, please let me know. Despite my lack of knowledge as to whether or not man had widened these holes there was a distinct sign of man's impact on the landscape, the ravages of a suspicious 2009 brush fire, can still be seen on many of the trees and shrubs that line a good portion of the trail as it passes through the Juden Creek area.

Springdale Bird Sanctuary? Hmm.....

As we continued something else caught my eye. We began to see a scattering of signs for the "Springdale Bird Sanctuary", firmly attached to trees, yet I had never heard of such a place. Many of the signs were weathered and bent, some with the paint peeling, and others peppered with pellet holes. I began to wonder if we had somehow ventured into another park or conservation area, or worse, if I had begun to tread (unknowingly) onto private property. After doing a quick search of the area, and finding no evidence of us being on private property, we continued on the trail, noticing a small pond, just barely noticeable through the trees that the trail seemed to be winding around. This particular area seemed absolutely THICK with pileated woodpeckers, who seemed to stay close enough for us to catch quick, brilliant glimpses of their beauty, but quickly flying away milliseconds before my camera could fully focus on them. We would discover yet another type of sign, one indicating a nearby survey marker, but we could not find the marker the sign was designed to protect (or perhaps it protected the marker too well). Our journey on the trail ended at an old building foundation, with a man gazing at us from his backyard... We decided then it was time to head back.

Note that this is NOT a loop trail, or at least, it was not a loop trail on our experience. We did not go off trail and stuck only to the most worn portion, upon finishing our exploration of the old building foundation and waving to the staring man in his backyard, we simply doubled back and made our way back through the woods to the parking lot. But as we headed back, my mind was awash in questions on exactly what Springdale Bird Sanctuary was and why there was a gate topped with a single bird house, so...

Warning... History stuff below:
Kelso Sanctuary Natural Area began its life in 1937 as the Springdale Bird Sanctuary, when Judge and Mrs. I.R. Kelso donated 20 acres of land to the Audubon Society of Missouri in June of 1937, an additional 7 acres was added soon after. At some time during the 1960's or 1970's the area changed names to the I.R. Kelso Wildlife Sanctuary and I assume later changed to its current designation. As of today, the area consists of 23 acres of wooded area (according to the Missouri Department of Conservation), which is owned by the Audubon Society of Missouri and managed by the Biology department of Southeast Missouri State University. I have also read that the University has leased the land from the Audubon Society of Missouri for a dollar per year since 1962, that sounds like a pretty good deal to me! The Kelso Sanctuary has had multiple bridges, all of which crossed Juden Creek, and all of which no longer exist due to flooding. However, only one (of two originally) of the small birdhouses still tops the gate that led to the entrance and can easily be spotted from Hwy 177 (Big Bend Road) as you approach the Juden Creek Conservation Area turn. Rumor has it that there is a geocache located nearby as well...

More Information:
Juden Creek Hiking Map
Juden Creek Conservation Area
Kelso Sanctuary Natural Area
Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center
Audubon Society of Missouri Checklist for Juden Creek
Juden Creek Hike Set on Flickr

f/8 and Be There (blog on Springdale Bird Sanctuary history by Fred Lynch of the Southeast Missourian Newspaper)
Southeast Missourian Photo Gallery of Juden Creek Fire (Photos by Kit Doyle)
This is NOT the Home of the Birds (blog entry by Ken Steinhoff)


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