We’ll meet at the Alpine Village Shopping Center on the Northeast corner of the intersection of Harrison and Alpine Roads in Rockford. Meet in the parking lot between the Hallmark store and the Amcore Bank just before 8:00 a.m. for car pooling. We plan to leave at 8:00
It looks like we’ll have some ice on the river down by Starved Rock State Park. That will provide places for gulls to stand around, and, if the Lock and Dam are operating normally we may have a good day with a bunch of gulls and some Bald Eagles as well. In the event that the gull-watching doesn’t pan out we still have the back up plan to do some hiking in the State Park. In any event, bring GOOD boots and WARM clothes!!! Watching birds from inside the Lock and Dam observation building is limited, at best. Bring scopes if you have them. After gull-watching we plan to stop for a bite to eat at Duffy’s Tavern in Utica.