The snow is almost gone. The sun is shining, and the first day of Spring is just days away. Criteria required for the first Sunday drive of 2021. With so many choices in the Driftless Region, the question became, where do we go?
A post on the Prairie du Chien Facebook page caught my try eye. Dennis Kirshbaum reported that on the morning of March 6, he saw 33 Bald Eagles congregating on the Mississippi River at the Campion Boat Landing southwest of Prairie du Chein, WI
.
Kirshbaum stated, “The Bald Eagles have started migrating.
Visions of eagles surveying the situation from the top of trees to the eagles soaring through the air and swooping down to grab a fish out of the river, and a single bird proudly sitting on the remaining ice motivated me to want to head to Prairie du Chein for the day.
Our destination for the day was decided.
According to Google maps, Prairie du Chein
is located 43 miles or 52 minutes south of Decorah, Iowa, along the mighty Mississippi River.
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Decorah Fish Hatchery
The first eagle we saw flew right in front of us, causing me to blink as we came into Decorah on the Locust Road. I assumed he was headed toward the Upper Iowa River because he was flying so low. My first thought was dang it, I missed a great picture. Second thought now I am not going to see along the river.
Guess it should not come as a surprise that we saw an eagle in Decorah, home of the infamous Decorah Eagle. We did not stop, but if you have time, check out the Decorah Fish Hatchery. It is a beautiful place to eagle watch and feed their dinner, fresh trout. The Hatchery is located at 2321 Siewers Spring Rd, 5 minutes west of Walmart on Trout Run Road. Eager to get to the river, we did not stop.
Northeast Iowa Vistas
My favorite route is to take State Hwy. 9 to Waukon and then follow Hwy. 76 to the Mississippi River. This route follows the ridge, offering a portfolio of stunning views and opportunities for award-winning photos and selfies. We passed by Effigy Mounds National Monument as we headed down into the valley toward Marquette, located next to the Mississippi River.
Pike Peaks State Park
As we were driving around looking for the Campion Boat Landing on the Iowa side of the river, realizing later was the river’s wrong side, I noticed a sign for Pikes Peak State Park. Having always wanted to visit, we followed the signs to Pikes Peak State Park. I have always hesitated to visit NE Iowa’s landmark because I fear heights, but I decided we would go check it out as I swore a couple of years ago, I would not let fear get in my way. It is a paved two-lane road wide enough for RVs. There are not many drop-offs on either side of the road, which made the drive pleasant. There is excellent directional signage, so there is no fear of getting lost or parking in the wrong parking lot. Since Tony is disabled, I was happy to see that there are designated parking areas for disabled visitors and plenty of parking for RVs.
I could not wait to see the Mississippi from this height. Pikes Peak State Park is a beautiful park, and the overlook provides a stunning view of the river. Why we were there, we could hear the train passing down below.
We did see a couple of eagles flying overhead while we were at Pikes Peaks State Park. If I were not in such a hurry to see 33 eagles, we could have stayed longer. It is the perfect place to hike and have a picnic. There is also a playground for children.
Prairie du Chien
We headed over the river to Prairie du Chien, WI, to find the Campion Boat Landing. I had visited Villa Louis in the past with tourism colleagues and drove around the park. Seeing one eagle perched in a tree, I continued driving until I saw sitting on the ice in the middle of the backwaters. I was right. I walked out on the barge and snapped picture after picture of this picturesque bird until he got bored and flew away. Getting a good image of an eagle in flight is difficult with my camera setup. I sure want a bigger lens.
I saw another eagle in the Main Channel of the river, so I parked and strolled up to the edge and was able to lean on the wall to take photos of this majestic bird, the symbol of democracy. He stood out there a long time so that I could practice shooting.
Campion Boat Landing
We thought about stopping for a late lunch. I was determined to see an aerie of Bald Eagles that I convinced Tony that we would pick up a few snacks when we stopped for gas. Poor guy! Tony wanted a meal.
It dawned on me where to go, and after filling up the gas tank, we headed out of town
toward the city-owned Campion Boat Landing, 400 W. Lockwood St.
We arrived and parked. I leaned on the truck to steady myself as it was windy, and I had trouble holding my camera still. About ten Bald Eagles, maybe 15, were sitting in the trees and flying over the river, providing me with plenty of opportunities to take photos.
The day was a relaxing trip, and even though I did not see 33 eagles, the trip was a success. The next time I head out to look for eagles, I am going to leave early in the morning in hopes of seeing 33 Bald Eagles.