Set aside three hours March 23 to join a group search for bald eagles along the Clarion River.

Pack along your binoculars and spotting scopes to the Cook Forest State Park office from 8:30-11:30 a.m. for a driving tour to eagle hotspots along the National Wild & Scenic Clarion River. The park staff says this is the prime time of the year to view bald eagles on their nests and find new nesting sites.

The carpool is likely to be long, and the hiking “aggressive” to get to better viewing areas. Hot chocolate and coffee will be available at the office.

For information, call (814) 744-8407.

Pymatuning State Park’s annual Eagle Weekend is scheduled for March 22-24.

Register to be part of a guided tour of the greater Pymatuning area to see American bald eagles, eagle nests and other birds. Transportation and some meals are included. Cost is $65 per person or $120 per couple.

Events start March 22 at 6 p.m. and end March 24 at 1 p.m.

For information and to preregister, call the park office at (724) 932-3142.

Overnight accommodations are available in the Jamestown cabins for an extra fee; call 888-727-2757 to make reservations.

The free event starts at 8 a.m. at the dam, 6 miles north of Warren on Route 59. You’ll watch for eagles in their natural habitat, fishing the open waters of the Allegheny River in the reservoir or in the Allegheny River.

Presentations on Pennsylvania eagle restoration efforts will go on throughout the day in the visitor center. There are three areas to view birds, and spotting scopes and refreshments will be available.

For information, contact Bill Massa at (814) 723-2568 or mbmassa@atlanticbb.net.

The first birding trip of 2013 got off to a fast start on New Year’s Day when my wife and I spotted a bald eagle at Presque Isle State Park.

Contributed/LINDA MARTIN

The adult bird circled Leo’s Landing before settling in a tree to the east of the landing access road and field. It made a meal of something clutched in its talons for more than 5 minutes before flying toward Presque Isle Bay and disappearing behind the treeline. We found it again maybe 20 minutes later, high above and headed north toward the open lake.

Either this eagle is particularly active at Presque Isle or there are few birds making the rounds — a check of recent sightings online shows a number of eagle encounters.

Also on the New Year’s Day birding list: Red-bellied woodpecker, northern cardinals, American goldfinches, tree sparrows and black-capped chickadees. Gulls by the thousands toured Presque Isle Bay, where ducks, especially mallards, were active.

GUYS MILLS — An American bald eagle was released Oct. 10 at Erie National Wildlife Refuge after three months of rehabilitation for an injury suffered this past summer.

Robert Angelo, of Skye's Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, in Harrisville, Venango County, releases an American bald eagle Oct. 10 at Erie National Wildlife Refuge in Guys Mills, Crawford County. Contributed photo.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Robert and Maryjane Angelo of Skye’s Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, in Harrisville, Venango County, released the mature male eagle. Erie National Wildlife Refuge, in Crawford County, was picked as the release site because it features prime eagle habitat and is near the location where the eagle was found.

Wildlife Conservation Officer John McKellop, who is based in Crawford County, responded in July to a phone call from Valerie Tarkowski, whose husband, Tom, found the injured eagle in their driveway.

McKellop transported the eagle to Skye’s Spirit, where the Angelos diagnosed the eagle with severe bruising, possibly caused by collision with a motorized vehicle.

Two juvenile Bald Eagles at Oil Creek State Park usually are willing to pose for photos if you catch them out and about near their haunt at the ice dam on the south end of the park.

Two American bald eagles were released into the wild Wednesday in Crawford County after rehabilitation from injuries at the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission oversaw release of the female eagles at the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, State Game Lands 214. Pymatuning was selected as the release site because of its abundant eagle habitat.

A 20-year-old mature eagle, first banded in 1992 near Vernon, Ohio, was captured April 16, 2011, near Union City by Erie County Wildlife Conservation Offcer Larry Smith. The eagle showed wing injures, missing tail feathers, emaciation and dehydration. It had suffered pellet wounds from a gunshot. Recurring infections required a long healing period at Tamarack.

Smith also picked up the immature eagle July 17, 2011, near Six Mile Creek east of Erie. The bird is believed to have suffered from West Nile Virus, which caused its feathers to become deformed during development, prohibiting flight. Rehab workers waited and watched as the eagle’s feathers were naturally restored during molting.

“Tamarack is an excellent facility that we have worked with on numerous occasions, and they have proven themselves to be especially skilled when dealing with raptors including bald eagles,” said Keith Harbaugh, Game Commission Northwest Region director. “Sue DeArment and her team at Tamarack are to be commended for their caring and compassionate work rehabilitating these eagles. We would not be here today to return these birds back to the wild if it were not for their investment of time, skill, energy, and money.”

The Game Commission said the mature female eagle was not returned to the Union City area, where she was an established breeder, because her mate successfully paired up with another eagle during her rehabilitation.

If you’ve even considered attending the annual Pymatuning Eagle Weekend this year, stop considering and start doing. Spots in the wildly popular program at Pymatuning State Park go quickly.

The events run March 23-25 at the park in Crawford County. You’ll get a lesson on the history of eagles in Pennsylvania, a raptor identification course, a morning driving tour and an afternoon of birding Saturday, and more birding Sunday morning.

Cost is $60 per person or $100 per couple. Two continental breakfasts, two lunches and transportation are included; housing is not. Cabin rental is available by contacting 1-888-PAPARKS.

Registration is required by March 16. For information, or to request a brochure, call (724) 932-3142.

Bundle up for the annual Eagle Watch Day Feb. 4 at Kinzua Dam in Warren County.

The open tailwaters of the dam are prime fishing waters for wintering eagles, and three areas will be open for free public viewing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Big Bend Visitor Center, Riverside Watchable Wildlife Trail and Viewing Platform and Kinzua Dam roadway. Observation stations will be manned and spotting scopes will be available. Those 18 and older will be required to show identification to gain access to the roadway at the dam.

Activities also will include an audiovisual program detailing eagle restoration
efforts and a Caching with Eagles geomeet featuring temporary caches around the recreation area.

Sponsors are the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Penn Soil Resource Conservation and Development Council, Kinzua Cachers and Allegheny Outdoor Club.

For information call Steve Lauser at (814) 726-0661 or Bill Massa at (814) 723-2568.

Check out this cool video of an eagle being released back into the wild recently near Albion: