Eagle Watch Weekend returns to Starved Rock Country

For many visitors, a trip to Starved Rock Country during the winter months means wine tastings, delicious dinners, scenic hikes and cozy cabins, but this majestic stretch of north-central Illinois also is home to some of the best winter eagle watching the Midwest has to offer.

The Illinois Audubon Society’s Plum Island Sanctuary, located at the base of the Starved Rock Lock, has long been a favorite wintering site for bald eagles. The broken-up ice, reliable food source and sturdy nesting trees make this small stretch of the Illinois River a reliable place for birders, photographers and nature lovers to see these beautiful birds of prey in their natural habitat.

To celebrate this, Starved Rock’s annual Eagle Watch Weekend is slated to be held on Jan. 25 and 26. This partnership between Starved Rock State Park, Starved Rock Lodge and Conference Center, the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center and Utica Village Hall offers two full days of eagle-related demonstrations, photo-ops and kids crafts. These activities and events are offered to the public on a first-come basis, free of charge. A convenient trolley shuttle will be taking guests to all the event locations, for $5 you will get all-day unlimited ride pass. The trolleys will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, taking guests to the Lodge, Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, along with the Utica Village Hall gym and Starved Rock Country Welcome Center on Sunday.

For centerpiece of Eagle Watch Weekend, The Illinois Raptor Center, Hoo Haven and Stillman Nature Center are returning to deliver a series of Live Birds of Prey informational programs, where you’ll be able to see these spectacular creatures up close and learn how these important organizations are ensuring birds safety for years to come.

The Illinois Waterway Visitor Center, will be hosting three sessions, held at 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as a 3:30 p.m. session on Saturday only. These talks are scheduled to run 45 minutes, with a maximum of 75 attendees. The Starved Rock Visitors Center will host talks at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with a maximum of 80 visitors. Starved Rock Lodge and Utica Village Hall also will be hosting Live Birds of Prey talks at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., at both locations on Saturday and Sunday. Starved Rock Lodge can hold a maximum of 200 attendees, while the gymnasium at the Utica Village Hall can hold 100 guests.

Other exciting events on the schedule include free access to viewing scopes at the Illinois Waterways Visitor Center all weekend, provided by the Audubon Society – who will also have experts on hand to answer all your eagle related questions. Guests will have the rare opportunity to get photos with Sadie the “Starved Rock eagle mascot” at the Starved Rock State Park Visitors Center on Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 2 p.m. A children’s craft and story time will also be held at the Park’s visitors center on Saturday, starting at noon. Peoria’s Wildlife Prairie Park will host a one hour owl pellet dissection class at the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center on Sunday, starting at 3:30 p.m. This activity has a max capacity of 32 people. Utica Village Hall will be hosting children’s bald eagle craft time on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11 a.m.

Starved Rock Lodge also will be hosting an exhibit hall with educational guests, held in the Great Hall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday. Guests will include: David Anderson’s Nature Photography, Heritage Corridor Destinations & the Starved Rock Country Welcome Center, Illinois Beach State Park Hawk Watch, IDNR Carp/Copi Team, DNR Climate Action Team, IDNR McHenry Dam Osprey Exhibit, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois State Museum’s Birds of Prey Education Exhibit, Sandra Rust’s Nature Photography & Art, Starved Rock Foundation, Starved Rock Hikers and University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist Ellen Evancheck.

Looking to experience more nature? Consider booking a Winter Guided Hikes. These expert-led hikes depart both days at 10 a.m. from the Lobby of Starved Rock Lodge. Hikers will learn about American Bald Eagles and why they like to roost along the Illinois River. Tickets are $20 a person and include a souvenir (drawstring) backpack, granola bar, water and a voucher for coffee or hot chocolate in the Starved Rock Cafe. Reservations are required. Call 815-220-7386 or book online at: starvedrocklodge.com.

Will you spot some bald eagles in the wild during the Eagle Watch Weekend? There’s a good chance. The numbers vary from year to year, and even day to day, but the cold winter weather tends to concentrate the birds by the water near the Starved Rock dam. When the weather is warmer, birds will hunt up and down the river leaving fewer near Plum Island. For more information on Eagle Watch Weekend, visit starvedrocklodge.com/event/eagle-watch-weekend/2025-01-25/