Eager for Eagles at Starved Rock SP, IL

Early rising today and decided to check out the bald eagles at Starved Rock SP again. 

Thing were looking up.  Saw a bald eagle sitting on a tree on I-80 around Seneca IL.  So close! but no chance or place to stop to take a picture.  He must have been looking for field mice or rabbits. 

As soon as I pulled in the parking lot, 3 were flying on the river right in front of me.  There was only one in December (the resident eagle), but this time out, found about 7 including 1 juvenile.  Less than last year but ... yea!

It was foggy & overcast, so some pictures have been lightened and cropped to post more.

Am I the only one who gets emotional seeing our national symbol? 

 

 

 

McKinley Woods, Channahon, IL

Went to Channahon with one of the ladies from the RV ladies site to look for bald eagles on the Des Plaines River.  We saw at least two juveniles and one adult, but unfortunately no pictures of them.

Hard to tell if these were American White Pelicans, but I think they are Egrets because they are wading.

 Mute swan

 Close up of finch nest approximately 3" in diameter.

In the same forest preserve, we then took a walk on the I & M Canal path that runs between the canal & the Des Plaines River.  No eagles there, but we did see some other water fowl mostly on the river.

Common Mergansers

 

On the I & M Canal (a little camera shy) we saw this on in flight and originally thought it was a Red Tailed Hawk, but once he rested on this dead tree, he's too light colored and even though it's a cloudy day, he could be some type of owl also that is in the area.  Basically, no clue.

Male and female mallard

Mute swan, Common Mergansers (background), Mallards (foreground)

A group of American Coots.  Missed them running on the water, but got a sequence shot of a couple of them diving.