Even in mid-winter, Washingtonians can find plenty of good reasons to switch off the TV and head outdoors. Incentives this month include fishing opportunities for salmon and steelhead, a razor-clam dig tentatively scheduled for mid-month and a chance to contribute to the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count.

Anglers have been catching increasing numbers of blackmouth salmon in Puget Sound, where four more areas will open to fishing Feb. 16. Waters opening that day include marine areas 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 11 (Tacoma-Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal).

"People really look forward to these openings," said John Long, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). "So far, catches in the north sound have been good and we expect these new areas to be producers as well."

Steelhead fishing is also improving on a number of rivers and streams, particularly the Wynoochee, Bogachiel and Sol Duc on the Olympic Peninsula. Low water temperatures and streamflows have chilled the bite on the Cowlitz and some other rivers, but fish biologists say that could change quickly with a little rain.

An increasing proportion of steelhead now entering western Washington rivers are wild fish, so anglers should make sure they know the rules for handling them before they cast a lure. Rules for retaining wild steelhead are noted on page 29 of the Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

Rather dig razor clams? WDFW has tentatively scheduled an evening dig at four ocean beaches Feb. 16 and 17, pending the results of a final round of marine toxin tests. If the tests show the clams are safe to eat, fishery managers will open Twin Harbors, North Beach Peninsula (Long Beach), Mocrocks and Kalaloch for digging between noon and midnight those two days. Twin Harbors also will be open an additional day, Feb. 18, if the test results are favorable.

WDFW expects to announce the final word on the mid-February dig by Feb. 9. Prospective razor clam diggers are advised to check for confirmation of the dig on WDFW's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov) or Fishing Hotline (1-360-902-2500) before heading for the beach.

Birders, on the other hand, don't have to check anything or go anywhere to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), which runs Feb. 16-19 throughout the United States and Canada. Open to beginners and expert birders alike, participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during the count dates wherever they choose - at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges. They are asked to then enter their tallies and locations on the GBBC website (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc), which provides a real-time snapshot of birds counted throughout North America.

Last year, GBBC participants submitted more than 60,000 checklists, reporting sightings of more than 7.5 million birds and 623 different species. Used to help track bird populations and better inform conservation efforts, the annual count is sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

For more information about birdwatching, fishing and other outdoor activities available this month, see the regional reports below.

North Puget Sound

• Fishing: With the arrival of calmer weather and the opening of two popular marine areas, anglers have a choice: head out onto Puget Sound in search of blackmouth or turn to the rivers and cast for steelhead. Either way, anglers should find plenty of fishing opportunities throughout the region over the next few weeks.

  On Puget Sound, the blackmouth fishery has picked up recently, especially in marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner). "The fishery got off to a slow start, but since the weather improved more anglers have been getting out on the water and they seem to be having pretty good success," said John Long, WDFW fish biologist.

  Anglers in marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 can keep up to two hatchery chinook per day, so long as the fish measure at least 22 inches in length. Wild chinook salmon, which have an intact adipose fin, cannot be brought aboard the boat.

  Elsewhere, marine areas 7 (San Juan Islands) and 9 (Admiralty Inlet) recently opened for salmon. Traditional spots, such as Point Lawrence and Obstruction Pass in Marine Area 7 and Possession Bar and Useless Bay in Marine Area 9, are usually good areas for anglers, Long said. In those two marine areas, anglers have a daily limit of one salmon, and chinook must measure at least 22 inches in length.

  Meanwhile, steelhead fishing has been decent in the Skagit and Sauk rivers, said Brett Barkdull, WDFW fish biologist. "The rivers are in good shape and are very fishable," he said. "It's not red hot, but I think one more good shot of rain might bring a number of those steelhead in."

  The majority of steelhead showing up in the Skagit and Sauk rivers are wild fish, but some hatchery steelhead remain, said Barkdull. Wild steelhead, distinguished from hatchery fish by their intact adipose and ventral fins, must be released. Anglers, however, have a daily bag limit of two hatchery steelhead through Feb. 28 on the Sauk and through March 15 on the Skagit. Both rivers turn to catch-and-release fisheries for all steelhead in March - the Sauk beginning March 1 and the Skagit starting March 16.

  Barkdull reminds steelheaders on the Skagit fishing from boats, sleds or any other floating device equipped with a gas or electric motor that it's illegal to fish while under power during the catch-and-release season. Rules and regulations for the Skagit River fishery, as well as other freshwater and saltwater fisheries, can be found in WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm).

  Anglers looking to take part in a salmon derby will have an opportunity in March. The inaugural Anacortes Salmon Derby is scheduled for March 10-11 out of the Cap Sante Marina. Tickets for the event are $50 per person, with proceeds going toward scholarships to benefit young adults interested in pursuing an education in fisheries and a related natural science. Top prize for the derby, which is hosted by the Fidalgo Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers, is $5,000. For more information visit http://www.anacortessalmonderby.com.

• Hunting: The waterfowl season has ended in the region, and hunters are reminded to return their completed harvest reports for brant, snow geese and sea ducks to WDFW by Feb. 15. Hunters who fail to return their reports by Feb. 15 will be ineligible to hunt those birds in the 2007-2008 season.

• Wildlife viewing: Birders have found several common redpolls at the Edmonds marsh over the past few weeks. The redpolls are usually spotted between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. "They are mostly seen in a flock of American goldfinches, feeding along the red pathway between the second and third observation platforms," a birder reported to Tweeters birding website (http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters/). Described as "busy and acrobatic," redpolls are rare winter visitors to western Washington, although they are common east of the Cascades.

  There's still time for birders to head out to the Skagit River and watch bald eagles. Record numbers of white-headed raptors have been wintering along the river, where the birds feast on the carcasses of spawned salmon. After a few weeks of dining, the eagles head north to their summer homes in Alaska and British Columbia. A good place to begin eagle-viewing activities in the area is at the Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretative Center. The center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 18. For more information on the interpretive center visit http://www.skagiteagle.org.

  Birdwatchers, whether experts or beginners, have an opportunity to take part in a continent-wide bird survey during the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The count, which takes place Feb.16-19, measures winter bird abundance and distribution across North America. Participants count the highest number of each bird species they see during the four-day count from wherever they choose - at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges - then enter their tally and location online. For more information visit the GBBC website at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

• Fishing: Area anglers will have to make some choices in the days ahead. Salt water or fresh? Blackmouth or steelhead? And what about that razor clam dig tentatively scheduled for mid-month?

  Those opting for blackmouth salmon will have four more marine areas to fish starting Feb. 16, with seasons scheduled to run through April 10. They include areas 5 (Sekiu), 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 11 (Tacoma-Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal), joining area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) which is already open.

  "People really look forward to these openings," said John Long, WDFW fish biologist. "So far, catches in the north sound have been good and we expect these new areas to be producers as well." For all salmon the daily limit is one. Chinook must measure at least 22 inches. There is no size limit for other species of salmon.

  Anglers who want to kick off the season in competitive style, can enter the Discovery Bay Salmon Derby, which runs Feb. 17-19 near Sequim. The derby, which is the oldest in the state, features $10,000 in prizes and starts at daylight Feb. 17. The award ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. Monday, at the Gardiner Boat Ramp. For more details, call 360-797-7711 or visit http://www.discobaysalmonderby.com/.

  Meanwhile, steelhead fishing has been running hot and cold from the Grays Harbor area to the northern Olympic Peninsula.

  "Steelhead fishing has definitely been hot on the Wynoochee River," said Scott Barbour, WDFW fish biologist. "Fishing conditions have been almost perfect, and people are catching a lot of fish." The action has been slower on other area rivers - including the Wishkah, Satsop and Humptulips - which have been running low and clear, he said. "A little rain sure wouldn't hurt," he said.

  Barbour noted that wild steelhead will likely outnumber hatchery fish in those rivers by the end of the month. Anglers can keep up to two hatchery steelhead per day from catches on rivers in the Grays Harbor area, provided the fish measure at least 20 inches. All wild steelhead, identifiable by an intact adipose fin, must be released.

  Farther north, anglers are also experiencing variable success, river by river, as more wild steelhead move in. "The fishing is pretty typical for this time of year," said David Low, another WDFW fish biologist. "It's good one day and tough the next. With some rainfall, conditions should improve."

  Sol Duc River had the best catch rates among the north coast rivers, based on creel checks conducted Feb. 1-4. That survey found that 29 anglers caught 30 wild steelhead and released seven of them.

  On the Bogachiel River, 28 anglers caught 22 fish in a creel check over the Super Bowl weekend - the highest catch rate for that river so far this season. One angler from Forks told Low that he caught three steelies in two hours of fishing.

  The upper Hoh, which receives glacier melt, is in the best shape for water levels, Low said. Forty-five anglers caught and released 26 fish in a three-day period on the upper Hoh, while 129 anglers on the lower Hoh caught and released a total of 69 hatchery and wild steelhead combined.

  Retention rules for wild steelhead, as well as rules and regulations for other freshwater and saltwater fisheries, can be found in WDFW's 2006/2007 Fishing in Washington pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.

  WDFW has tentatively scheduled razor clam digs on four ocean beaches on Feb. 16 and 17. If marine toxin tests are favorable, fishery managers will open Twin Harbors, North Beach Peninsula (Long Beach), Mocrocks and Kalaloch to digging between noon and midnight. Twin Harbors will be open an additional day, Feb. 18, during the same hours if the test results allow the digs to proceed.

  Final word will be announced approximately one week ahead of time via the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov, the WDFW Fishing Hotline (1-360-902-2500) and the statewide news media. Copalis Beach will remain closed in February because of the low number of clams available for harvest.

  The best time to start digging is an hour or two before low tide. Evening low tides during the two-day digs are 5:47 p.m. and 6:28 p.m. For the Feb. 18 Twin Harbors dig, the low tide is 7:08 p.m.

  Under WDFW rules, harvesters may take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 taken, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's limit must be kept in a separate container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2006 annual shellfish/seaweed, razor clam or combination license is still valid.

• Wildlife viewing: Clam diggers waiting for the tide to change might want to keep an eye out for gray whales, fur seals, and elephant seals - all of which have recently been sighted off Westport. Also, a Harris's sparrow has been wintering in town at the end of Elizabeth Street. This sparrow is quite a treat for intrepid birders because it is definitely off-course from its normal winter Great Plains destination.

  Great views of white-tailed kites, which were almost extinct at one time, have been reported at the Raymond airport in Pacific County and Bottle Beach State Park between Aberdeen and Westport.

  Across the harbor at Damon State Park in Ocean Shores, viewers can watch two snowy owls scouting for prey among the logs and driftwood. These birds, which are becoming more frequent in the south, should be wintering in the Arctic.

  If you're staying home President's weekend, remember the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.16-19. Birdwatchers of all kinds are encouraged to participate by counting the birds they see in their own neighborhoods and entering the results on the GBBC website at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: Winter's grip has cast a chill on virtually every type of fishing on the Columbia River and its tributaries. With water temperatures at Bonneville Dam hovering around 37 degrees, few catches of steelhead or sturgeon - much less smelt - were reported as January turned to February.

  "We need some rain and warmer temperatures to shake things loose," said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist in the Vancouver office. "Fisheries have been in a holding pattern, but that could change fairly quickly if temperatures start rising and we get some rain."

  Boat anglers fishing The Dalles Pool were an exception to the slowdown, averaging 1.6 steelhead per rod during creel checks conducted Jan. 29-Feb. 4. By contrast, none of the 27 bank anglers or two boat anglers surveyed on the Cowlitz River caught fish last week. Neither did the 13 bank anglers fishing for sturgeon below Bonneville Dam, where the sport fishery is now open four days per week - Thursdays through Sundays - downriver to the Wauna power lines.

  Fishing has also been slow at Kress Lake, South Lewis County Pond and Horseshoe Lake, where WDFW has planted hundreds of excess hatchery steelhead in recent weeks. "Fish lose their interest in biting - or even moving - when water temperatures get this low," Hymer said. "But once things warm up a bit, fishing should pick up."

  For one thing, several thousand late-run hatchery steelhead are expected to return to the Cowlitz and Kalama rivers in the weeks ahead, Hymer said. "The early run to those rivers was fairly strong, and there's no reason to believe the late run won't be too," he said.

  Warmer water should also spur the arrival of spring chinook, a few of which have been caught in the Willamette River net fishery, Hymer said. While the spring chinook run usually doesn't peak until mid-April, he said anglers could start encountering springers any time - especially if things warm up.

  Smelt, too, prefer warmer water temperatures - specifically 42 degrees or higher, Hymer said. Gulls have been observed actively working waters near Church Hole at Chinook, indicating that smelt are in the area. But those smelt - if, indeed, that's what they are - are unlikely to move into the Cowlitz River until water temperatures rise, Hymer said.

  For now, fishers are likely to have better luck at one of several lakes recently planted with trout. They include Battleground Lake (3,015 catchable-size rainbows), Klineline Pond (1,000 half-pound and 156 five-pound rainbows), Icehouse Lake near Bridge of the Gods (800 catchable-size rainbows, Little Ash Lake near Stevenson (800 catchable-size rainbows) and Kidney Lake near North Bonneville (1,000 half-pound rainbows). Hymer noted that Kidney Lake remains open to fishing through the end of February.

  Area anglers may want to consider heading west for a razor-clam dig tentatively scheduled in mid-February, provided marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat. Fishery managers plan to open four ocean beaches - Twin Harbors, North Beach Peninsula (Long Beach), Mocrocks and Kalaloch - for digging Feb. 16 and 17 between noon and midnight if marine toxin tests are favorable. Twin Harbors will also remain open an additional day, Feb. 18, during the same hours if the test results allow the dig to proceed as planned.

  Copalis Beach will remain closed in February because of the relatively low number of clams available for harvest there. For more information on the proposed dig, see the Sound Sound/Olympic Peninsula regional summary above.

• Wildlife viewing: Most bears are still in hibernation - but not Brutus, the five-year-old grizzly scheduled to make a return engagement at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show at the Portland Expo Center this month. Tipping the scales at 850 pounds, Brutus will again be a starring attraction at the show, which will feature dozens of seminars by wildlife experts and a wide array of outdoor merchandise. There is an admission fee for the Sportsmen's Show, which will be open Feb. 7-9 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (503) 246-8291.

  Meanwhile, birdwatchers of all kinds can be part of a continent-wide bird survey during the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.16-19. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see during the count dates wherever they choose - at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges - then enter their tally and location on the GBBC website (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc). Bird sightings from throughout the U.S. and Canada can be compared on-line as tallies are recorded.

  In an earlier tally, Wilson Cady of Vancouver Audubon reports that his band of 29 birders spotted 113 species in the Sauvie Island count circle during the most recent Christmas Bird Count. A short list of the birds counted include brant, trumpeter swan, cinnamon teal, white-tailed kite, merlin, short-eared owl, tree swallow, barn swallow, common yellowthroats, swamp sparrow and two common redpolls. The redpolls were only the third record of this species for Clark County, Cady noted on Vancouver Audubon's website (http://vancouveraudubon.org/). The count was conducted Dec. 17 for the Sauvie Island circle includes Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge and Vancouver Lake. Throughout the Americas, tens of thousands of birders recorded the birds they spotted in a single day during the 2006 Christmas Bird Count, conducted from Dec. 14 to Jan. 5.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Ice fishing continues to provide some action on regional lakes, but recent warming trends and rain may soon make ice unsafe. Anglers are still reeling in rainbow trout at Fourth of July Lake on the Lincoln-Adams county line and at Hog Canyon Lake in southwest Spokane County. Nice-sized crappie are coming through the ice at Sprague Lake off I-90 on the Lincoln-Adams county line. Crappie are also being caught, along with some yellow perch, at Eloika Lake in north Spokane County.

  WDFW enforcement officers report that a large number of anglers are fishing for steelhead and catching many fish on the Grande Ronde River in the Snake River Basin. Steelheaders on the Walla Walla River and sections of the mainstem Snake report that action is slowing down. A few small steelhead were caught in the Ice Harbor Dam pool. For the most recent creel surveys, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/snake/index.htm.

• Wildlife viewing: Rivers throughout the region are the best places to view bald eagles as they feed on waterfowl or fish. WDFW wildlife biologist David Woodall notes that "plenty of eagles can be seen along the Grand Ronde River" in the Chief Joseph Wildlife Area. WDFW northeast district wildlife biologist Steve Zender of Chewelah noted eagles that winter here will be moving on to traditional nesting sites soon.

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can participate in a North America bird survey during the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.16-19. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see - whether at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges - then enter their tally and location on the GBBC web site at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

  Bird sightings throughout the United States and Canada can be compared online as tallies are recorded. These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: WDFW enforcement officers recently patrolling the upper Columbia River Wells Pool steelhead fishery found little angler effort. The Rufus Woods reservoir, on the other hand, continues to see plenty of action on big triploid rainbow trout.

  Ice fishing is fair at many Okanogan County lakes, including Rat Lake near Brewster and Green Lake near Omak where 10 to 12-inch rainbows are being caught. Recent patrols at Davis Lake near Winthrop in Okanogan County yielded no anglers with catches. But five fishermen checked on Patterson Lake had seven trout and one yellow perch. "The perch at Patterson Lake are still difficult to find because trout are taking the bait before the perch can get to it," reported WDFW officer Cal Treser of Twisp. WDFW fish biologist Bob Jateff of Omak says anglers need to fish as many areas of Patterson as possible to find the schools of perch. He recommends using small teardrop-shaped jigs tipped with maggots or worms.

  An ice fishing festival is scheduled for Feb. 17 at Sidley Lake near Molson, about a mile from the Canada border. Coordinated by Eden Valley Guest Ranch, the festival includes fishing contests for kids and adults with a first prize of a 14-foot Lund boat. For more information contact the Ranch at (509-485-4002).

• Wildlife viewing: Some mule deer in the Methow Valley are going to extremes to be noticed this winter. WDFW enforcement officer Cal Treser of Twisp recently responded to a complaint from Winthrop City Hall about a deer with a Christmas wreath around its chest. "The deer had apparently put its head through a wreath and then attempted to push it away with its front feet, which went through the wreath, lodging it around its middle," Treser reported. "With the assistance of the Winthrop Marshal's office, we immobilized the deer, removed the wreath, and relocated the deer to the Methow Wildlife Area."

  Treser also advises deer watchers to leave their dogs at home, or otherwise confined or controlled to avoid dogs chasing deer. "It's against the law to allow dogs to harass deer or elk," Treser said. Winter is especially hard on deer, he explained, because dogs can run across the top of the snow, while deer punch through and can be easily stressed or even caught and mauled or killed.

  The 6th annual Balde Eagle Festival in Grand Coulee, Feb. 16-18, includes bus tours to the Northrup Canyon winter bald eagle roost and other local wildlife watching sites. The festival, named after the original American spelling of bald eagle, also offers wildlife symposiums and art, photo, and poetry contests for all ages. The Northrup Canyon bald eagle viewing site is off State Route 155, about seven miles south of the town of Grand Coulee. It includes two small parking lots and an improved foot trail that winds up a knoll in the center of the canyon. For more information on the festival, see http://www.eaglefestival.com/ or call (800-268-5332) or (509 633-3074).

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can participate in a North America bird survey during the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.16-19. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see - whether at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges - then enter their tally and location on the GBBC web site at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc.

  Bird sightings throughout the United States and Canada can be compared online as tallies are recorded. These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The Columbia River is open for retention of hatchery steelhead upstream to the wooden power line towers at the old Hanford townsite north of the Tri-Cities. WDFW fish biologist Paul Hoffarth reports anglers are picking up a few steelhead below McNary Dam near the Umatilla River and at Irrigon. "Steelhead fishing in the Ringold area is typically spotty in February," Hoffarth said, "but it can produce the occasional great day and really picks up by March."

  Retention of white sturgeon in the Columbia River below McNary Dam (Lake Umatilla) re-opened Jan. 1. "It's a great time to fish for sturgeon," Hoffarth said, "because few anglers start gearing up for sturgeon until spring."

  Hoffarth also notes that walleye fishing above and below McNary Dam on the Columbia River has been on the rise. "Several fish reaching up to 10 pounds or more have been caught," he said. "We could have a new state record with a walleye that weighed in at 19.3 pounds."

  The 17th annual Central Washington Sportsmen Show is Feb. 16 - 18 at the Yakima SunDome, and will feature daily fishing seminars, a fly casting pool, fly tying demonstrations, trout bobbing contests, an outdoor cooking camp, and vendors of fishing and hunting gear, guides and lodges. For show hours, admission prices and other details, see http://www.shuylerproductions.com/index.php.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW Oak Creek Wildlife Area manager John McGowan says he'll likely be feeding elk and bighorn sheep through February. Elk are fed at 1:30 p.m., daily at the headquarters site on State Route 12 northwest of Yakima, and sheep are fed at the Cleman Mountain site near Naches in the morning. Information is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily at the headquarters visitor center. Truck tours through the feeding elk herd are available on most Saturdays and Sundays, or by pre-registration with a minimum of 48 hours notice by calling (509-698-5106). McGowan notes the tours are supported by donations only, and he suggests $5 per person.

  With deer and elk now shedding antlers, antler collectors are out in force. McGowan reminds "shed hunters" that Oak Creek has several road closures to restrict activities that disturb elk and deer in late winter. Oak Creek, Bethel Ridge, Sandford Pasture, and Mud Lake road systems are all closed to use through April 30.

  McGowan also reports that numerous bald and golden eagles are visible in the Oak Creek vicinity, feeding on winter-killed deer, elk, sheep and other carcasses along the rocky cliffs.

  Birdwatchers of all kinds, from beginners to experts, can participate in a North America bird survey during the 10th annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) Feb.16-19. Participants simply count the highest number of each bird species they see - whether at home, in schoolyards, at local parks or wildlife refuges - then enter their tally and location on the GBBC web site at http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Bird sightings throughout the United States and Canada can be compared online as tallies are recorded. These counts offer a real-time snapshot of the numbers and kinds of birds that people are finding, from boreal chickadees in Washington to anhingas in Florida. The GBBC is sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society.