Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruise on RiverQuest in Connecticut
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Most people don’t know this, but Connecticut is a great spot to see bald eagles out in the wild. A great way to do this is by taking a winter eagle cruise with RiverQuest, which runs out of the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, Connecticut. While Connecticut does have some eagle residents who are here year-round, winter is the best time to see large numbers of them. Eagles come south when the waters further north freeze so they can fish for meals.
I was given complimentary tickets to do this tour, but I have paid to do a wildlife cruise on RiverQuest in the past. I previously did the RiverQuest Osprey and Eagle Cruise in early May with my younger sister.
This post will be specifically about the Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruise. I was initially supposed to go on a media and creators trip. However, Connecticut had an especially cold winter, and the event had to be cancelled because the Connecticut River froze over. They couldn’t get the boat out for most, if not all, of February. So, I was able to go on one of their regularly scheduled cruises at no cost instead.
What To Know About The Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruise
- It is highly recommended that you get your tickets in advance. These cruises are really popular, and they often sell out. Don’t expect to show up at the museum to purchase tickets for this cruise the day of. You can purchase tickets on the RiverQuest website.
- Your ticket includes admission to the Connecticut River Museum. After your cruise, you can check out the exhibits in the Connecticut River Museum. I didn’t do it after this trip, but I did do it after the RiverQuest Osprey and Eagle Cruise I did last May. The museum gives you an insight into the history along the entire Connecticut River, which goes all the way up to the Canadian border. It’s definitely worth checking out if you have time!
- The cruise itself is about an hour long. I recommend getting to the museum about 30 minutes before sailing time. You will need to check in at the front desk, and then you’ll go wait in the back room where someone will come get you to board. There are informational signs around the room as well as a video.
- They only do cruises certain days of the week. Usually, they do them on the weekend (both Saturday and Sunday) and one or two days during the regular week. Be sure to check their website to see which days they’re offering.
- They can get cancelled due to weather and river conditions. I don’t think RiverQuest was able to go out at all for the month of February in 2026 due to the cold temperatures and the river completely freezing. The media and creator tour I was supposed to go on was rescheduled twice due to ice before they finally just cancelled the event. For any changes or cancellations, they will email you. If you’re worried about weather, you can also call them.
- It can be really cold. This is a winter cruise, so it can be very cold. Wind out on the river can make it feel even colder. But, they do have an eclosed area on the boat that is warm. You can enjoy the entire cruise inside here, but you won’t be able to see the eagles that are flying above the boat from inside. I recommend dressing appropriately for the weather and warming up inside when needed.
- They have coffee and tea available on the ship. This is complimentary. It’s a great way to warm up on this winter cruise!
- There’s a bathroom on the ship, but it’s not fully functional. Basically, it’s just for emergencies. You cannot flush it because it is winterized. I highly recommend going to the bathroom inside the museum before boarding.
- Children under 10 years old cannot be booked. The website doesn’t give reasons, but I think it’s probably a safety thing.
- There are naturalists on board to narrate and tell you where to look. They will be on the lookout for wildlife and tell you where to look and what you’re looking at. They will also give you some great information about the Connecticut River and the species that are in and around the river.
- Binoculars will be provided. They have enough binoculars for everyone onboard. However, you can bring your own if you’d like! I haven’t personally used the binoculars myself because I typically use my camera with a telephoto lens to view them.
- Don’t expect to see the eagles super close. Remember, you’re viewing them in their natural habitat, not at a zoo. While you’ll likely see a lot of eagles, they’ll likely be in the distance on a tree or flying pretty high in the sky. With your naked eye, they might just look like little blobs. This is where those binoculars they provide become helpful. Often times, the eagles were still too far for me even with a 600mm lens. Have realistic expectations before heading out on to the trip.
My Trip
This trip was in mid-March, so towards the end of the winter season. I would have loved to go earlier in the season, but honestly, I was happy to go at all. The weather was definitely milder than it would have been in February. So, that was a bonus for going during this time of year.
The trip was completely sold out, which didn’t shock me because this is such a popular cruise. But, with a crowded boat, it can make taking photos a little frustrating. The eagles tend to be on one side of the boat, and real estate along the edge of the boat goes fast. I spent a lot of time having to take photos between or over people’s heads. If you don’t want to have to do this, I recommend getting to the right side of the boat as soon as they allow you to get up and roam around.
In total, we saw 22 eagles during the trip. Many of the eagles were in the distance, either flying or hanging out in a tree. Most of the eagles we saw were immature bald eagles. But, we did see five mature bald eagles!
My best photos came from the beginning of the trip. There was an immature eagle enjoying some breakfast on the bank of the river on a log. Since it was a still subject, this made it fairly easy to photograph. Then, we watched it fly into a nearby tree where it continued to eat its breakfast. It was in that tree that I was able to get my best photos of the cruise.
While that was my personal favorite and what I thought was my best photo, I did have plenty of opportunities to photograph eagles in flight. Most of them were immature bald eagles, which don’t have the signature white head that many people associate with bald eagles. I think they’re just as cool to see as the mature bald eagles.
The trip also takes you to a nest that is occupied year-round by resident eagles. The nest can only be seen in the winter months when there are not leaves on the tress. The nest is huge. We were lucky enough to see one of the occupants when we went by. The eagle in the nest was not easy to photograph due to all of the branches, but I did manage to get its head peeking through the many branches.
While the eagles are obviously the main attraction, you’ll see other birds as well as you cruise up and back down the river. We saw Common Mergansers, a Red-tailed Hawk, Double-Crested Cormorants, and even Common Cormorants (also known as Great Cormorants).
Other Things To See Besides Wildlife
If you’re interested in buildings like I am, there are plenty of cool buildings along the river. The Connecticut River has a lot of history attached to it, and there are a lot of historic buildings along it. There are two historic homes I really like by a cove that’s one of the eagle hot spots. I absolutely love photographing historic houses around Connecticut, so that’s why these houses are of interest to me.
You’ll also go by the historic Elys Ferry Landing in Lyme, where there’s a cute red building (I think it’s a boat house) on the water. There’s also a large, historic home to the left of the red building.
You’ll also find some modern homes along the river that are just gorgeous.
There’s also this garage that I personally think is fun to photograph.
As you’re leaving the museum and coming back, you’ll get some great views of Essex.
Before you head out, be sure to snap a photo with the Connecticut River Museum’s mascot Miki. You’ll find this eagle statue to the left of the entrance of the building.
Photography Tips
Hoping to photograph eagles and other wildlife while you’re on your cruise? Below are some tips that can help you capture the wildlife successfully!
- It’s best to have an actual camera with a good telephoto lens. As I mentioned earlier, the wildlife is typically not super close to the boat. So, having an actual camera with a decent lens is ideal. My setup for wildlife photography is my Canon EOS 90D (which is a DSLR) with a Tamron SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD for Canon DSLR Cameras. You could also use a camera like a Nikon COOLPIX P1100, which has a pretty powerful built-in optical zoom. This is a much lighter option than the setup I have. I know plenty of birders who use the COOLPIX and get great shots.
- Use a fast shutter speed. This will help keep freeze the subject in the frame, even if they’re moving. I try to use at least 1/1000 second. This helps not only with freezing the subject in the frame, but it also helps to reduce camera shake, which is especially helpful when you’re photographing wildlife from a rocking boat. I also recommend putting your camera into Auto ISO so you don’t have to worry about properly exposing a photo when you’re trying to photograph the moving subjects.
- Use continuous autofocus. This helps keep a moving subject (like a flying eagle) in focus because your camera will track it. This will help you have more sharp shots than out of focus shots. It’s not easy to follow moving subjects while you’re zoomed in as it is. This will help make things a little bit easier.
- Turn on subject detect. If your camera has subject detect, you can turn that on. Many cameras are able to detect subjects such as animals or birds. This of course works best if you’re using it with continuous tracking!
- Turn on high-speed burst mode. This is especially helpful for moving subjects. I keep my camera in this mode any time I’m photographing wildlife. It helps me never miss the shot. When a bird is flying in front of you, you typically have a really small window of time to get the photo! It’s not as big of a deal when your subject is sitting on a branch, but by having it on, you’ll be ready for anything, like if the eagle you’re photographing on a branch suddenly takes flight!
Of course, you can always use your cellphone if that’s all you have. Many newer cellphones have pretty good zoom capabilities. You won’t get camera quality photos with your cellphone, but if that’s all you have, it’s definitely better than nothing!
Also, be patient with yourself whether you’re using a phone or a camera. Wildlife photography isn’t easy, especially from a boat. Between moving subjects, changing lighting, often being far from the subject, and being on a boat, it’s hard. I’ve been taking wildlife photos for 5 years, and I only got one photo I really liked on this trip.
Is This Cruise Worth Taking?
Absolutely! It’s a great way to not only see wildlife in their natural habitat, but it’s also a great way to learn about them as well. As with any wildlife cruise, each cruise is different. You never know what you’ll see because you’re looking for wildlife. Plus, weather conditions matter too. For instance, one of the naturalists told us that the eagles tend to fly higher on clear days. If you go on this cruise, it’s highly likely that it will be a completely different experience than mine. But, that’s the beauty of wildlife cruises!
And as I mentioned earlier in this post, keep your expectations realistic. You will not be right next to these animals. You will be a safe distance from them where you’ll be able to observe them without disturbing them. If you’re expecting this to be like a visit to the zoo where you’re able to view animals up close, you’ll be pretty disappointed. There’s definitely a chance that they will fly very close to the boat, but from the two different trips I’ve done, none of the eagles were particularly close. Binoculars and telephoto lenses are definitely needed to view them a bit better.
This is so cool! I recently got into birding (and photographing birds) and it’s an expensive hobby as it… I would be so hesitant spending money on a wildlife eagle cruise because it’s nature so there’s never any guarantee. I read you saw 22 (!!!!) bald eagles – putting this cruise on my list! That’s such a successful trip. I know, I know, it’s not guaranteed but sounds like a pretty decent chance of seeing them 😀