Birders all across the country will participate in the 13th annual Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 12-15, a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. This popular citizen science project is an opportunity for families, students and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, parks and refuges.

Begun in 1998, the count enlists birders of all skill levels in an effort to keep common birds common. Last year, participants turned in a record 94,165 checklists reporting a total of 620 species consisting of more than 11 million birds.

Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from novice bird watchers to experts. Participants count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the event and report their sightings online at www.birdcount.org.

Results are updated hourly on animated maps and colorful graphs. This near-instant feedback allows participants to see almost immediately how their observations fit into the continental perspective. Results from previous bird counts are also available online.

Several area conservation organizations are offering activities to help birders prepare for the event.

• The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is host for a training day Feb. 6, 10 a.m. to noon. Call 412-963-6100 or visit www.aswp.org for details.

• Keystone State Park is offering a "Winter Brrrr-ding" class Feb. 6, 2-3 p.m. Call 724-668-2566 to register.

• Jennings Environmental Education Center is hosting a workshop on Saturday Feb. 13, 9 a.m.-noon during the bird count. Call 724-794-6011 to pre-register no later than Feb. 5.

On a related note, Keystone State Park is also offering a Song Bird Workshop for teachers, youth group leaders and home-school parents. The two-day class on Saturdays, March 6 and 20, will teach educators ways to supplement existing ecological curriculums with song bird-related activities and field experiences. Call 724-668-2566 to pre-register. For more information about the count or the Lab of Ornithology, visit www.birdcount.org, or call 800-843-2473.

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