Situated in the expansive floodplain of the Mississippi River, Riverlands Migratory Bird Refuge is an abundantly rich area of wetlands, forests, and prairies that host an astonishing variety of birds. Whether you're an experienced birder or a curious nature lover, this place offers a great variety of options for birdwatching, nature hikes, or even a drive through some beautiful space. With its excellent location along the Mississippi Flyway, this refuge offers a remarkable opportunity to witness many species of migratory birds.

The Mississippi Flyway is a bird migration route following the Mississippi, Missouri, and Lower Ohio Rivers in the U.S., extending from the north at Canada’s Mackenzie River and Hudson Bay to the south at the Gulf of Mexico. It narrows in the lower Mississippi River valley, creating a high concentration of bird species in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Some birds migrate from the Arctic Ocean to Patagonia along this path. This flyway is what funnels a huge number of birds through the Riverlands Refuge!

The Refuge has many trails and roads to explore. I try to visit the St. Louis area a couple of times a year to visit my Grandma and local family there. The weather is as changing as you can imagine, from freezing cold winters to sweltering hot summers. On hot summer days, it’s great to be able to drive the roads and take short walks to see the birds that stick around in the warm seasons. On colder winter days, with the right clothing, the trails are great and the bare trees provide great opportunities to spot little birds moving about! There are those perfect days in between hot and cold and these are just great for the longer trails!

A dirt road leads to Confluence Point State Park, and as long as the road is open, I highly recommend the drive. A small parking lot is at the end of the road, and a short trail out to some amazing views of the rivers! The trail is about .3 miles and is mostly paved. It wanders through a forest on the edge of the river. Birds were chirping all along this trail, even in the parking lot! And at the end of the trail, with the view of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers confluence point, there were massive flocks of gulls!

One of my favorite trails here is out on Ellis Island. Ellis Island is a peninsula between the Mississippi River and the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary. The trail is a combination of gravel access roads and dirt trails. It wanders between a grassland area in the middle of the loop and a narrow strip of forest along the water's edge. There are a couple of bird blinds along the trail. This trail is always so chirpy and birdy. The undergrowth, the trees, the meadow, and the water all had birds on my visits! There is also a great view of the Clark Bridge!

Bridge Appreciate Moment: The Clark Bridge, completed in 1994, connects Alton, Illinois, to West Alton, Missouri, across the Mississippi River. This cable-stayed bridge spans the Mississippi Riveris at 4,620 feet long. Known for its sleek design with two supporting towers, it accommodates heavy barge traffic and has boosted local economies by improving transportation.

Teal Pond is a very easy stop, with parking right off the main road into the area. This pond has some amazing visitors in the winter. The symphony of Trumpeter Swans (in photos below!) and Greater White-fronted Geese is incredible. This pond is easy to view and was just full of birds in December. While there in June, not many birds here. Seasons make a big difference in the Midwest for birding!

The Audobon Center is a very nice spot to pause for lunch or a bathroom break. They have a great patio with views of the water or Purple Martins flying all around! Some nice trails are right around the Center, too. I took a walk around the trails there and crossed over to Two Pecan Pond. This was during a visit in June and it was very (seriously) hot, so I stayed somewhat close to my car and water. Even so, these trails were short enough and close enough that I was able to explore a bit. I was very grateful for the cool building and their cold water for refilling my bottle!

The Bald Eagle show that happens here in the winter is something that I’ve only heard about. It wasn’t truly cold enough yet when I visited in the winter, so the ponds and rivers were not even close to being frozen yet. While there were a few eagles around, none were down on ice or sharing food. Someday, I’ll visit and get those eagles skidding and standing around on the ice!