Link to the Starved Rock Gallery for 2011
I took advantage of the warmer than average temperature here in the Chicago area to take a jaunt to Starved Rock State Park. This park has a unique quality in the winter months because it seems to attack a large number of Bald Eagles. An amazing factoid is that Illinois attacks the largest number of wintering Bald Eagles out side of Alaska, pretty impressive.
Bald eagles are truly amazing creatures with wing spans ranging from 5.5 to 8 feet can achieve flight speeds in excess of 75 MPH. They weigh from 8 to 14 pounds and stand approximately 35 inches tall. They live approximately 20 years in the wild and can build huge nests. Typical size is 5-6 feet in diameter and 3 feet tall! Search the internet for some of the largest nests found in the United States.
There is more to Starved Rock than the opportunity to shoot birds in flight. The park has 5 canyons which make marvelous ice sculptures in winter and has numerous over looks. You might want to break up your day into two parts, one for shooting eagles requiring some serious (heavy) gear then moving to a lighter rig for capturing the canyons and waterfalls.
My Gear: Nikon D300, Nikon 300mm f/2.8 with a 1.7 Tele-converter. Most serious birdie-ers start with no less than a 500mm. Lenses of this size require a hefty investment but you can rent these lenses for a reasonable price or consider buying used. Be sure to check out rentals locally and online. I purchased my lens used from KEH and have been very happy with it.
For the canyons I took my Nikon 18-105 but would have done better choosing my Tamron17-50mm. The extra degree of wideness does make a difference. You could definitely take advantage of a super wide. Why the kit lens? I like the range and at F/8 it is very, very sharp. Plus it is inexpensive and I don’t have to worry about destroying it.
Misc Gear: Binoculars and Yaktrax traction devices that strap on to you boots to provide additional traction on the icy surface you will encounter on the trails as well as the stairs heading to the overlooks, I highly recommend these items for this type of excursion!
I like to shoot hand held but will use support on my next trip to Starved Rock. The gear is just too heavy. One could get away with a mono pod but a solid tripod with a Gimbal type mount would probably work the best.
Another fun fact about Starved Rock according to folklore is that Starved Rock State Park derives its name from a Native American legend of injustice and retribution. In the 1760s, Pontiac, chief of the Ottawa tribe upriver from here, was slain by an Illiniwek while attending a tribal council in southern Illinois. According to the legend, during one of the battles that subsequently occurred to avenge his killing, a band of Illiniwek, under attack by a band of Potawatomi (allies of the Ottawa), sought refuge atop a 125-foot sandstone butte. The Ottawa and Potawatomi surrounded the bluff and held their ground until the hapless Illiniwek died of starvation- giving rise to the name “Starved Rock.”
Misc Info
For information about viewing eagles at other times during the winter, contact the Illinois Waterway Visitor Center at: 815-667-4054
Link to the Starved Rock Gallery for 2011
Chambers Imaging 