Bald Eagles at Lock & Dam 13 on the Mississippi River, Fulton, Illinois

This winter I was finally able to get to Lock and Dam 13 on the Mississippi River, outside of Fulton, Illinois. The locks along the upper Mississippi have become gathering places for bald eagles in the winter, as the turbulence keeps the ice broken up, making for good fishing as the rest of the river freezes. At the beginning, dozens to over 100 bald eagles can easily be counted in the trees, in the air, and on the ice. It was an emotional experience for someone raised hearing that bald eagles might go extinct, and one I will treasure.