Eagles and some Sunshine in Siouxland, DeSoto Bend Refuge

An eagle watches a field below it at the DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge Monday, January 4, 2021 in Sioux City, Iowa. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

On a few occasions I have had the pleasure and delight of coming across eagles in Siouxland. Although I haven’t been lucky enough to find them diving for food or fending off another eagle while in flight, I have enjoyed seeing them in the wild.

An eagle’s feathers are ruffled by a stiff breeze at the DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge which borders western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, Monday, January 4, 2021 near Missouri Valley, Iowa. The last three days the weather consisted of dense fog and colder temperatures. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

A pair of eagles have a nest in a tree top across the Missouri River from a bird blind in the DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge that straddles western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. I’s fun to watch them sitting tin the tree or soaring the surrounding air space.

An eagle returns to its nest with a bundle of small sticks in a tree above the Missouri River at the DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge which borders western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, Monday, January 4, 2021 near Missouri Valley, Iowa. The last three days the weather consisted of dense fog and colder temperatures. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)

On my last visit the pair seemed to be doing a home makeover, bringing sticks and twigs and performing a little remodeling, maybe changing the look of the nursery. From a bird blind one can watch them and other water fowl who stopped at this juncture of open water on the river. One can watch and see the “new year” progressing and hopefully sometime in the spring get lucky and see a new head bobbing above the nest line.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

Two eagles tend to their nest in a tree above the Missouri River at the DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge which borders western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, Monday, January 4, 2021 near Missouri Valley, Iowa. The last three days the weather consisted of dense fog and colder temperatures. (photo by Jerry L Mennenga©)