Eagle Watch program in Will County attracted 1,000s on Saturday

Thousands came out to Four Rivers Environmental Education Center’s on Jan. 14, for the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s annual Eagle Watch program in Channahon.

The event was free and open to people of all ages and abilities.

Event features included guided hikes along the open waters of the Des Plaines River where eagles gather, the use of on-site spotting scopes and several presentations about eagles and other raptors.

Dianne Moller, who founded the Wisconsin-based Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center, also brought an eagle and several species of owls.

Attendees packed the rooms to hear the presentations and see the birds.

Jess McQuown, a program coordinator at the Forest Preserve District of Will County, said in a Jan. 7 Herald-News story, that 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.”

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Victor E., a rescued Bald Eagle, from the Hoo’s Woods Raptor Center visits the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center’s annual Eagle Watch program in Channahon. (Gary Middendorf – gmiddendorf@shawmedia/Gary Middendorf)