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Apple River, IL) Over 50 bald eagles were observed during ENF’s first 4-hour bald eagle tour of the year. The morning of the tour was the coldest day so far this winter with the beginning temperature below zero. This caused the windows of the bus to frost over during the early part of the tour, but as the temperature rose during the morning the windows gradually cleared off. On this tour for the first time in three years bald eagles were observed at Bellevue below the Dam fishing for small fish which they could swallow while their were flying. ENF had been concerned about the eagle’s food supply when no fishing had been observed during the bus tours in the past two years. Now this concern has been partially relieved.

South of Bellevue eagles were observed leaving the river going inland, possibly looking for other, or more food. No flight activity of any kind was observed at the Dubuque Dam even though there was plenty of open water. Several eagle nests were observed with only one showing any signs of activity, but it is still early as the eagles normally don’t lay eggs until the end of February in this part of the country.

ENF has two more eagle tours scheduled for this winter on Feb. 11 and Feb. 25, 2012. The first tour was closed the week before the tour, because the bus had been filled. Reservations for these tours has to be made in advance by calling ENF’s office, 815-594-2306. To enable more people to see and enjoy our National Symbol in the wild, ENF lowered the prices from what they had been the previous several years to only $60 for adults, and $50 for children under 17. At the present time there is still room on both of the remaining tours for anyone wishing to live for four hours in the bald eagle’s world. A person will not only see bald eagles in the wild, but bald eagle feeding areas, nighttime and daytime roosts, nests and possibly even migrating eagles as they visit 5 different historic bald eagle wintering communities.

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For more information contact: Terrence N. Ingram, Exec. Director, Eagle Nature Foundation, 300 East Hickory St., Apple River, IL 61001 Phone 815-594-2306