The Return of the King: Bald Eagles on the Upper Mississippi
The Return of the King: Bald Eagles on the Upper Mississippi Photo by Alan Look Photography A Conservation Victory and a Photographer's Paradise There are few sights in nature more stirring than the white head of an American Bald Eagle gleaming against the slate-grey winter sky of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. For decades, this sight was nearly lost to us. Today, however, thanks to one of the most successful conservation efforts in history, the "King of Skies" has returned to the Heartland, reclaiming its throne along the icy waters of the Mississippi—specifically around the engineering marvels of the locks and dams. This is the story of their comeback, and your guide to witnessing it firsthand near Gladstone, Illinois. From Silence to Soaring: The Comeback Story In the mid-20th century, the American Bald Eagle was teetering on the brink of extinction. The widespread use of DDT, a pesticide that caused eggshells to become dangerously thin, decimated populations acr...