Bald Eagles in Iowa

Has anyone on the list ever tried photographing Bald Eagles at Red

Rock Lake near Pella, Iowa? I am UK based but have a friend over

there that is telling me it is *the* place to photograph them but he

isn't a birder and, although he is a photographer, he doesn't shoot

wildlife. As he is a non-wildlife photographer I am unsure of just

how close he thinks these birds are in terms of photography using a

500mm. He claims frame fillers but what people often construe

as 'very close' can be a huge distance when it comes to photographing

them. I would love to make the trip out there for a week specifically

to do the baldies, but I would hate to go and come away without the

images.

 

Thanks in advance

 

John Gardner

 

www.wildscenes.com

If your trip to Pella doesn't work out well, try the Mississippi River around Marquete and Prarie du Chein, WI. The bald eagles hang out all winter on the edge of the ice.

 

shad

I was up near Wabasha Minn. last Jan/Feb and the # of eagles was amazing. They were too far away with a measly 600mm (300 2.8 w/ 2X) except for the lucky times when you would find them in a roadside tree.

I have never had any luck with the eagles at Lake Red Rock, they are usually just too far away. The best places in Iowa for photographing eagles are the river valleys. The Mississippi at Dubuque, Davenport/Rock Island, and Keokuk is good. If your in western Iowa, check out the Hitchcock Nature Area, where every fall a hawk count is tabulated; or DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge, though I think much of it is closed off in winter. The Iowa River has several public areas where I have had some success photographing Bald Eagles, Ospreys, and an assortment of Buteos. I have never had a good day hawkwatching at the reservoirs like Lake Red Rock or Coralville Lake, there are just too many acres of open water that the birds spend time over. I think you've got the right time of year though. The eagles are starting to come down from Canada to look for fish in unfrozen lakes and streams. If they normally summer further north, they will probably stay until February or early March. I definitely think a trip to Lake Red Rock is in order though, check out www.iowabirds.org, there is a page on Lake Red Rock that shouldn't be missed. The end of the guide even gives you a route where you can photograph some eagles. Good Luck! Hope this isn't too late of a response, I've been out of town.

I haven't been to Lake Red Rock near Pella, but they do have Bald

Eagle Days there (Feb. 17). I've had better luck viewing Eagles near

Macgregor Iowa across from Prairie du Chien and even in Des Moines

along the Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. I'm from Massachusetts

originally and have had good luck at the Quabbin Reservoir (they are

usually too far away for 300mm or less) and on trips to the Florida

Everglades they are everywhere and more than willing to be

photographed at close range and are very approachable. Go

John, I have photographed eagles in Iowa and Wisconsin. In my opinion the best places to photograph im winter are the rivers near the locks and dams. This is true once the river has frozen over and the eagles congregate near the locks and dams to fish. The fish are temporarily stunned after going thru the turbines and the dams and are easy prey. If you are patient you can occasionally get one to fly near you and get a good shot of the bird in flight against a blue sky. Otherwise, you can drive along the river and maybe get some in trees but the folks that have responded are right on; the rivers are the best places near open water.

 

By the way are you anywhere near Long Buckby? Good friend there named Don Bird. Imagine that.

 

Come in January. Rivers are frozen then.

Red Rock Lake is bald eagle territory. Each February the area celebrates Bald Eagle Day with shows and viewings near the Red Rock Dam and at Horn’s Ferry Bridge. There you can get good pictures of the bald eagles.

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julie

 

 

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