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.

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 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.

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