See bald eagles up close Jan. 14 with Will County Forest Preserve District program

Jess McQuown is really hoping for frigid temperatures Jan. 14 – the colder the better.

McQuown is a program coordinator at the Forest Preserve District of Will County. The district will host its annual Eagle Watch program from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, 25055 W. Walnut Lane in Channahon.

The event is free and open to people of all ages and abilities. Registration is not required.

If the weather is super cold, the odds are good that eagles will gather around the nearby open waters of the Des Plaines River, where attendees can watch them during a 40-minute accessible hike on paved ground, McQuown said.

“It’s exciting to see a bald eagle in real life,” McQuown said. “If you see one, usually it’s flying overhead.”

The guided hike takes participants along the river, where eagles will be – cross our fingers, McQuown said, in their post or flying overhead.

“There’s a tree just across the river from us that our local nesting pair love to sit in. You can even see them with the naked eye, without binoculars, scopes or long-lens cameras,” McQuown said. “On sunny days, you can see their white head, which is spectacular because the river is really wide where we are.”

The forest preserve will have spotting scopes on-site, McQuown said.

“So the public can use those and see them if they are perched in their tree,” McQuown said of the unnamed pair. “We are pretty lucky because they’ve been here for a number of years. They have an offspring that sticks around for a little while.”

But even if the weather is mild and the eagles are elusive, people still will see a bald eagle up close, no more than 100 feet away, McQuown said, “which is pretty hard to match at any other time.”

Bald eagles and other live raptors

The bald eagle’s name is Victor E. and he is just one of several birds presented by Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center, based in Wisconsin.

Victor E. was 6 months old when he was admitted to Hoo’s Woods in 2018, according to Cindy Cain, spokesperson for the Forest Preserve District of Will County. A vehicle had struck Victor E. and left him permanently unable to fly, she added.

McQuown said photos of bald eagles – and even watching bald eagles in cartoons – can’t compare to seeing them up close.

“They’re massive birds,” McQuown said. “They are 3 feet tall and their wingspan is over 6 feet. They are huge birds. Getting to see them in real life is magical.”

Dianne Moller, who founded Hoo’s Woods 25 year ago, also will bring two visually handicapped Eastern screech owls: Blinky, a 1-year-old gray phase; and Ted, a 5-year-old red phase, Cain said. Screech owls weight only 6 ounces each.

Moller also will bring Wesley, a 9-year-old snowy owl that also was struck by a vehicle and permanently flightless; and Clark, a 10-year-old barred owl who imprinted on humans when he was a baby and no longer recognizes his species, Cain said. Clark has brown eyes, a 4-foot wingspan and hearty “Who Cooks for You!” call, Cain said.

None of these other birds are as tall as 3 feet, McQuown said. But that’s OK. “They are very exciting to see, too.”

Food, activities and presentation times

Eagle Watch will feature family crafts, an Eagle Eye Scavenger Hunt and food available for sale from Lil’ Deb’s Mobile Eats.

“So even if it isn’t cold, it’s still nice,” McQuown said, “we’ll have a good time.”

The guided hikes are at 11:50 a.m., 12:55 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. Attendees also may hike the McKinley Woods site on their own.

Two 45-minute bird presentations will take place at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. A 20-minute meet-and-greet is set for 12:30 p.m. Seating is first-come, first-served.

Three 15-minute Talon Talks also will be offered: “Eagles of the World” at noon, “Eagle Eyes and Other Awesome Adaptations” at 1 p.m. and “Comeback Kid – The Bald Eagle’s Road to Recovery” at 2:30 p.m.

Can’t attend? All is not lost.

“This is our best time of year to see the eagles,” McQuown said. “But, really, people often see them anytime of the year and that is not always the case everywhere else.”

For information, call 815-722-9470 or visit reconnectwithnature.org.