- J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida: On the Gulf Coast of Florida, 20 miles southwest of Fort Myers • Best time to visit: December through April • Birds: Mangrove Cuckoo, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, White Ibis, plus ducks in winter, and songbirds in spring The refuge’s mudflats, mangrove forests, and freshwater habitats attract some 300 bird species, including Roseate Spoonbills, Reddish Egrets, Wood Storks, and White Ibises. Wildlife Drive, a five-mile, one-way road, is a major attraction, especially to birders who aren’t able to walk long distances.
- Everglades National Park, Florida: The southern tip of Florida • Best time to visit: December through April • Birds: Limpkin, Snail Kite, Short-tailed Hawk, Mangrove Cuckoo, Greater Flamingo.
- Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico: Between the Chupadera and Magdalena Mountains, three miles south of San Antonio, New Mexico • Best time to visit: December through March • Birds: Lesser Snow Goose, Ross’s Goose, Sandhill Crane, Gambel’s Quail. nearby airport: Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ).
- Jersey Cape, New Jersey: Throughout the year, hundreds of species of birds pass the Shore as they migrate; others nest and breed along the beaches, marshes and protected lands along the cape.
- Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah: In fall and winter, the fish-filled Bear River draws Bald Eagles to the refuge, located roughly 70 miles north of Salt Lake City. Then make your way to the auto route, a 12-mile loop with plenty of places to pull over and snap some photos.
- Conowingo Dam, Maryland: Located an easy day trip from nearby metros like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, convenience is one reason Maryland’s Conowingo Dam is considered the best place on the East Coast to photograph Bald Eagles. Shooting there is pretty simple—just find a spot along the fence that lines the Susquehanna River. Ease of access is nice, but the real draw? Eagles galore—300 or more on a typical day in winter.
- LeClaire, Iowa: Just upstream from the Quad Cities area, and about a three-hour drive from Chicago, LeClaire is home to Lock and Dam 14 on the Mississippi River, where a Nature Conservancy preserve protects a favorite winter roosting site for Bald Eagles.
- Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge, Missouri: A 400-eagle winter day is not out of the question at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in northwest Missouri, an Important Bird Area formerly known as Squaw Creek. Eagles hunting geese make for some dramatic shots, especially if you can get the bluffs in the background, and there are plenty of prime places to set up, including a 12.5-mile auto loop and several viewing platforms. If you can still feel your fingers and toes, stick around for a sunset mirrored in the wetlands of the Missouri River floodplain.
- Skagit River, Washington: Spawning salmon make easy meals for Bald Eagles. That’s why Block loves to catch a ride in Rockport, Washington with Skagit River Guide Service, which caters to camera-wielding eagle nuts. (They even run an annual eagle photo contest.) December trips book fast, and for good reason. You might see 200 or more Bald Eagles feasting on chum salmon or roosting riverside during a three-hour float
- Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge (Crystal River, Florida 352-563-2088) From October through April, many bald eagles winter and nest on the banks of the Chassahowitzka River. In fact, frequently, visitors will be greeted by a pair of bald eagles in a tree at the refuge entrance. Visitors can take pontoon boat tours, rent canoes or bring their own boats and take to the river to get great views of adult and juvenile birds flying over the river hunting for fish.
- DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge (Missouri Valley, Iowa 712/642-4121) This refuge has become an important wintering area for up to 120 bald eagles. Visitors can see numerous bald eagles in the trees or once DeSoto Lake is frozen, sitting on the ice, taking advantage of a plethora of fish and snow geese. In addition, thousands of artifacts can be viewed at the visitors center from the1968 excavation of the steamboat Bertrand, which sank in 1865. The 200,000 artifacts provide one of the most significant assemblages of Civil War era artifacts in the Missouri River region. The DeSoto Visitor Center exhibits much of the collection and contains interpretive displays on the historical development of the Missouri River Basin, the ecological impacts of that development, and the natural history of the area and its wildlife.
- Patuxent Research Refuge (Laurel, Maryland, 301/497-5761) is the nation’s only refuge established to support wildlife research. The 12,750-acre refuge, which supports a wide diversity of wildlife, is managed to protect native and migratory bird species. A nesting pair of bald eagles has used the North Tract Refuge since 1989. Visitors will find 20 miles of roads and trails for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding on the North Tract, where there are also wildlife viewing areas.
- Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Cambridge, Maryland 410/228-2692)Eagles are here in droves from the fall through the summer, taking advantage of the mix of marsh, forested uplands and some farm fields. The refuge annually winters over 200 bald eagles, and supports the largest nesting population of bald eagles north of Florida on the Atlantic Coast. The Nanticoke River, in the heart of the refuge’s Nanticoke Division, has been designated a Maryland Wild and Scenic River.
- Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge (Zimmerman, Minnesota 612/389-3323)is a particularly good spot for eagle viewing; an extensive network of shallow lakes that freeze and grow short of oxygen in the winter mean a seasonal fish kill that provides easy feeding in the spring, when groups of eagles descend to eat their fill. Hundreds of eagles are drawn to the refuge and while their numbers are especially strong in the spring, some eagles are there almost 11 months of the year.
- Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge (Union City, Tennessee 901/538-2481) hosts between 150 and 200 bald eagles from December through mid-January and sometimes, through February, as the birds take advantage of the thousands of ducks and geese wintering on the 15,000-acre Reelfoot Lake. While the refuge itself is closed in the winter to give waterfowl a chance to rest, two refuge observation decks remain open throughout the year and accommodate a high rate of visitors who are attracted by the yearly eagle influx.
- North Platte National Wildlife Refuge (Scottsbluff, Nebraska 308/635-7851) Bald eagles have successfully nested on the refuge each year since 1992. The 1992 nest was the 2nd successful “Nebraska” nest in over 100 years. This refuge was created as a sanctuary for migrating birds. In December the refuge is open to the public for Bald Eagle Viewing Days. Spotting scopes are set up along the lake for visitors to view the dozen or so bald eagles that are taking advantage of the masses of migrating birds.
- Kenai National Wildlife Refuge (Soldotna, AK 907/262-7021)With a statewide population of between 50,000 and 70,000 bald eagles, much of Alaska is eagle country. In fact, you’re likely to see these majestic birds anywhere in the coastal southcentral or southeastern portions of the state, including downtown Anchorage! For a special eagle-viewing experience, however, try floating through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge in June or early July when the mighty king salmon return to their birth waters to spawn. You’ll see hunting birds hovering high overhead, and both mature and immature eagles perched in trees lining the banks above this world class fishery. The waters of the Kenai river are beautiful, turned emerald green by their cargo of glacial silt, and while you enjoy your eagle-watching adventure you’ll also have a good chance of hooking into one of the river’s legendary kings, the largest of which approach 100 pounds.
Best places to photograph birds in Winter
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