Mark your calendars now for Saturday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come and enjoy an outstanding day of seeing Bald Eagles and other raptors at the Third Annual Bald Eagle Watching Day in Ferryville at the Community Center located on Highway 35, ‘The Great River Road.’
Bald Eagle Watching Day is sponsored by the Ferryville Tourism Council and is free to the public. Activities are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The public will not only have exciting opportunities to see and learn about bald eagles, but also enjoy refreshments in the Community Center. This year, there will be children’s craft activities throughout the event. Ferryville, located right on the Mississippi River, is an ideal place to host Bald Eagle Day as it supports a close-by nesting site located between Hobbs Hollow Road and Kettle Hollow Road on Highway 35. Eagles can be seen in the nest along the Mississippi River as you pass by on Highway 35.
Fantastic live bald eagle programs will be presented at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. featuring eagles from the Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota. Learn how the bald eagles have returned to this area in increasing numbers and what you can do to support this effort to help eagles flourish.
You can take photos of the eagles and other raptors and have your photo taken with our wonderful national symbol. New for the 2012 program is “Lois, The Owl.” Lois loves an audience and flies about the room during her segment of the raptor presentation.
Local photographic artist Larry Knutson will be exhibiting his award-winning art, which features scenes of nature, eagles and the area. Knutson is a native of Ferryville and the region. His art is well-known throughout the Driftless Region and this will be an opportunity to meet him in person.
At 10:15 a.m., Chloris Lowe, a colorful and fascinating member of the Sky Clan of the sovereign Ho-Chunk Nation will share his knowledge of “Eagles in the Ho-Chunk Culture.” This is an excellent opportunity for young people, as well as adults, to learn more about the history of the Ho-Chunk and importance in this region. Lowe is a very engaging speaker and will be in full Ho-Chunk ceremonial dress.
Are you a great “Hooter”? At noon, there is a “Hooting Contest” for folks of all ages with awards in each of the three age categories. Practice up and see if you are one of the champions at hooting!
Ann Blankenship, from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Marquette, Iowa, will make a presentation at 2 p.m. with a very engaging program about attributes of the Refuge, located primarily in the Pool 9 region. She will explain how the refuge functions and about the wildlife and bald eagles, who inhabit it. Blankenship will also discuss the environmental success story about how the bald eagle has been brought back from the brink of extinction to today’s numbers.
DeSoto Middle School students, St. Charles Middle School students of Genoa, and Seneca Middle School students are participating in a display of art and science projects that educate about bald eagles.
Middle School teacher Robin Hosemann of DeSoto, art teacher Meg Buchner of St. Charles Middle School and Cody Sime of the Seneca Middle School are all working with the Ferryville Tourism Council to create this exhibit as part of the day’s activities. Students compete for awards in several categories. Student teams will receive trophies and team members will receive medals, to recognize their scholastic achievements at the awards ceremony at 12:30 p.m.
Do you love treats, especially eagle and owl cookies, hot chocolate, coffee or Kickapoo Orchard Cider? Be sure to enjoy these at the Community Center on your visit to Ferryville’s Bald Eagle Day festivities.
Local restaurants are featuring special items just for Bald Eagle Day. It is “Bald is Beautiful Day” at the Wooden Nickel so check out the specials there. Other merchants are making special plans for Bald Eagle Day as well. You are all invited to join in the fun.
This is a “must attend” area event on Saturday, March 3, According to organizers. So spend a beautiful Wisconsin day enjoying the great outdoors. Join your neighbors and friends at the Bald Eagle Watching Day and look along the river for sightings of Bald Eagles.
For additional information, go to the Ferryville Tourism Council Website: www.visitferryville.com
