Seeking Volunteer Pilots

World Bird Sanctuary has been doing aerial surveys of Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River for over 30 years.

Counters Emily Hall and Sara Carter, Recorder  Mike Zieloski,ready to do a census flight 

World Bird Sanctuary enlists volunteer pilots to fly from the Confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers north to 6 miles north of Quincy Illinois. We count the Bald Eagles along the river.

Pilot Joe St. Clair fills out paperwork while Emily Hall looks on 

The pilot for this flight was Joe St. Clair, who volunteers his services to an organization called Wings of Hope.  Wings of Hope flies out of Spirit Airport in Chesterfield Missouri. They fly medical missions to children’s hospitals and to 47 countries around the globe.

Our pilots, who share a Cessna 185 high winged plane were unable to help us last year due to issues with the plane.  Joe St.Clair shares the plane with Paul Knese and others. Paul has helped with Eagle Census Flights, too.

We are looking for additional pilots with Cessna high winged planes to help with the census this December, January and February.  We often see some amazing wildlife on these flights, and some years some interesting ice formations.

If you know of a pilot who could help us please contact Jeff Meshach, Director,  World Bird Sanctuary at 636-861-3225.

Emily Hall and Sara Carter  ready for take-off 

We would like to continue our multi year study of Bald Eagles along the Mississippi River.

Photos and Story submitted by Michael Zeloski, World Bird Sanctuary Director of Education