Shooting the Breeze

Audubon Center at Riverlands

Last weekend was somewhat gray, cold and windy as has been the case January heading into February. On Saturday a photographer friend joined Jim and me as we set out to go hunting (with our cameras) for eagles along Illinois Route 100. We stopped first at the Audubon Center at Riverlands, a wintering spot for a number of migratory birds. While we saw a few, it was nothing like the number of birds I had seen back in December.

We continued on our journey north through Alton. Normally teeming with traffic this time of year, the Great River Road was relatively empty - and so were the trees. Of leaves and birds. For a change of pace, we took the Brussels Ferry across the Illinois River to Brussels. After leaving the ferry, we spied what appeared to be a large gathering of birds. Driving down a gravel road to get closer, were we ever surprised! It was a decoy spread. What the flock?

decoys

In Brussels we found several interesting buildings to photograph. The first was a barn just as you entered town. The second one was an abandoned "duplex", and the third a barn quilt. It is always a good day for me when I find a new barn quilt!

Brussels, Illinois

Following lunch at a local dive in Brussels (not a good choice, unfortunately) we decided to change up the scenery by taking a different ferry back home. I found a couple things to photograph while waiting for the ferry to return to our side of the Mississippi River.

Mississippi River

Alas, for all our driving there was not an eagle in sight. Well, except for this one - ha!

Golden Eagle Ferry