EAGLE RELEASED

EAGLE RELEASED — Reelfoot Lake State Park staff ranger Shane Morrow released a rehabilitated bald eagle behind the park’s Visitors Center Saturday as a crowd of about 200 people watched during the annual Pelican Festival. Morrow was joined by West Tennessee Interpretive specialist David Haggard, who gave information about the state’s eagle rehabilitation program. The eagle release was a highlight of the festival, which was abbreviated due to renovation work being done at Ellington Hall at the Visitors Center and due to intermittent rainfall. Two-hour pelican pontoon tours were fully booked Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A variety of food from restaurants near the Visitors Center was available to taste and people could purchase duck decoys to take home and paint.