My granddaughter Mary had heart surgery, a stay in the intensive care unit, and she and her mother are home recuperating. Pam and I took her brothers to eagle watch along the Mississippi River so Dad, Mom and Mary could relax and heal.
Pam and I usually take a mid-winter trip to the river every year to see the eagles, and Wabasha, MN is a favorite stop. There are usually eagles on the river, the National Eagle Center is there, and Slippery’s Bar has good sandwiches.
Last year, Pam and I had eaten Sunday brunch at the Anderson House Hotel, and Pam had remarked that it would be fun to bring some grandkids there some time. The hotel has a collection of cats that are lent to the guests if the guest should want one.
The Anderson House seemed to be a good place to spend the first night of our trip. We got a cat named Arnold to share our room. I spent most of the evening chasing the cat around the hotel as he would escape every time someone opened the door to our room. Arnold is a pretty famous cat, having at least one book written about him. He was pretty fat, too. Charlie and Sam had a pretty good time with him.
Pam and I usually take a mid-winter trip to the river every year to see the eagles, and Wabasha, MN is a favorite stop. There are usually eagles on the river, the National Eagle Center is there, and Slippery’s Bar has good sandwiches.
Last year, Pam and I had eaten Sunday brunch at the Anderson House Hotel, and Pam had remarked that it would be fun to bring some grandkids there some time. The hotel has a collection of cats that are lent to the guests if the guest should want one.
The Anderson House seemed to be a good place to spend the first night of our trip. We got a cat named Arnold to share our room. I spent most of the evening chasing the cat around the hotel as he would escape every time someone opened the door to our room. Arnold is a pretty famous cat, having at least one book written about him. He was pretty fat, too. Charlie and Sam had a pretty good time with him.
ARNOLD WATCHES THE SHOWER
The next morning, we had the buffet for breakfast. The chef wanted to know if Charlie could help him make omelets, and Charlie jumped at the chance. He made one for me and one for himself, and got a certificate declaring that he was an ‘Expert Omelet Maker’ from the chef.Then Charlie, Sam, and I drove over the bridge and south on the Wisconsin Great River Road a few miles to see if we could spot any eagles. We saw a couple of eagles, but also spotted a lot of American white Pelicans, the first of many we would see on this trip.
We headed back to Wabasha to pick up Pam and report on our hunting so far. We packed the car and headed to the National Eagle Center downtown. The Eagle Center was now home to three rescued Bald Eagles and one rescued Golden Eagle. The boys' favorite part was the feeding demonstration.
AN EMPTY NEST, ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL CAR, COULD WEIGH ONE TON!
We headed up the Minnesota side of the river, looking for eagles, to Red Wing, crossed to the Wisconsin side and looked downstream. The river was relatively ice-free, so there were no large concentrations of eagles near small patches of open water. The boys’ however, were great at spotting nests. I think we saw more nests, occupied and unoccupied than we had seen in all our previous trips.
PELICANS IN FORMATION
ONE PARENT WATCHES OVER THE NEST, THE OTHER TENDS TO THE YOUNG'UNS
PELICANS RESTING ON A SANDBAR
A YOUNG EAGLE RESTS IN A TREE
PELICAN IN FLIGHT
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GET THAT BEAK OFF THE GROUND, EITHER!
FORMING A "V"
AND HEADING UP RIVER
ENJOYING THE SUN WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ANOTHER OCCUPIED NEST
A LARGE NEST WITH THE HEAD OF AN EAGLE BARELY VISIBLE
RESTING, THINKING ABOUT FISH
A NEST ALMOST HIDDEN IN THE TREES
A SMALLER NEST, PROBABLY A YOUNG COUPLE
CHARLIE STALKS A FROG, BUT GETS GOOCHED
We headed up the Minnesota side of the river, looking for eagles, to Red Wing, crossed to the Wisconsin side and looked downstream. The river was relatively ice-free, so there were no large concentrations of eagles near small patches of open water. The boys’ however, were great at spotting nests. I think we saw more nests, occupied and unoccupied than we had seen in all our previous trips.PELICANS IN FORMATION
ONE PARENT WATCHES OVER THE NEST, THE OTHER TENDS TO THE YOUNG'UNS
PELICANS RESTING ON A SANDBAR
A YOUNG EAGLE RESTS IN A TREE
PELICAN IN FLIGHT
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GET THAT BEAK OFF THE GROUND, EITHER!
FORMING A "V"
AND HEADING UP RIVER
ENJOYING THE SUN WHILE KEEPING AN EYE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD
ANOTHER OCCUPIED NEST
A LARGE NEST WITH THE HEAD OF AN EAGLE BARELY VISIBLE
RESTING, THINKING ABOUT FISH
A NEST ALMOST HIDDEN IN THE TREES
A SMALLER NEST, PROBABLY A YOUNG COUPLE
CHARLIE STALKS A FROG, BUT GETS GOOCHED
ANOTHER NEST. THE BOYS COULD REALLY SPOT THEM!
AN ADOLESCENT WITH MOSTLY ADULT COLOR, SOARING
AN ADOLESCENT WITH MOSTLY ADULT COLOR, SOARING
ALMOST HIDDEN FROM VIEW
AN ADULT RETURNS FROM FISHING
WE SPOTTED THIS HANDSOME HAWK
AND HE DEMONSTRATED SOME ACROBATIC FLIGHT
ANOTHER LARGE NEST, HIDDEN AWAY IN THE WOODS
AN ADULT RETURNS FROM FISHING
WE SPOTTED THIS HANDSOME HAWK
AND HE DEMONSTRATED SOME ACROBATIC FLIGHT
ANOTHER LARGE NEST, HIDDEN AWAY IN THE WOODS
WE CHECKED ON THE PROGRESS REBUILDING BREITBACH'S
ON THE WAY THROUGH BALLTOWN
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