The parents usually fly over head a couple times and then settle down on a branch above the nest, frequently looking down into the nest. I have kept all visits short so far since I know the eaglets are small and most likely the parents are still brooding them.

On one of my trips down to the river I could see from the Lock and dam area a large gathering of White American Pelicans and Cormorants at the end of Ellis Island. I drove over to the trail head and started out hiking it, hoping that they would still be there. To my delight they were still there, the Cormorants, American White Pelicans, a couple Ring-billed Gulls and a Caspian Tern. I caught some videos and photos of this large group of water birds socializing while preening, sunning, and bathing.

Here is the video I made from my recordings.

A Springtime gathering On The Mississippi River

Click on photo to see up close and personal.

If you check out the video you can see all the activity going on with these beautiful birds. Watch for one that has a wound on its lower bill pouch.

The one Pelican has an orange-brown underparts from lying on the shallow bottom of the river.