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Help the world count birds this weekend

Great Backyard Bird Count is a global bird census by volunteers

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Kathy Morrison PUBLISHED FEB 12, 2026

Recognize this little bird with red and brown feathers? It's a male house finch, a common backyard bird found in the southwest United States and Mexico. Kathy Morrison

How many birds can you spot in 15 minutes in your backyard? Or a neighborhood park? Or along the river?

That's the challenge of the Great Backyard Bird Count, back again for a 29th year this Valentine's Day weekend, Friday through Monday.

The global bird census is a citizen science project initiated by the Cornell (University) Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. The Birds Canada group also now is one of the organizers.

Participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count has grown each year since the first one in 1998, expanding to countries around the world. In 2024, for example, an estimated 642,003 participants from 210 countries or subregions reported, with 7,920 species identified.

The website birdcount.org is packed with details and information on the count, including how to report GBBC bird sightings. From that website, here's how to get involved. The parentheticals are mine:

Step 1: Decide where you will watch birds. (It does not have to be your backyard.)

Step 2: Watch birds for 15 minutes or more, at least once over the four days, Feb. 13-16. (Full morning sunlight or the hour before sundown are bird-heavy times in my backyard.)

Step 3: Identify all the birds you see or hear within your planned time/location and use the best tool for sharing your bird sightings:

-- If you are a beginning bird admirer and new to bird identification, try using the Merlin Bird ID app to tell us which birds you are seeing or hearing. (Merlin has the ability to record bird songs and deliver likely identification.)

-- If you have participated in the count before and want to record numbers of birds, try the eBird Mobile app or enter your bird list on the eBird website (for desktop/laptop).

The website also has a link to a one-hour webinar that beginning birders may find useful.

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Keywords:

birds Great Backyard Bird Count wildlife bird populations Cornell Lab of Ornithology Audubon Society wildlife habitat weekend event annual event winter February Sacramento gardening

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Flowers in My Back Yard Series

March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come

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Garden checklist for week of March 15

Enjoy these sunny days and show your garden some TLC. Don’t forget to water.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower. Take a hoe and whack them at the base.

* Prepare vegetable beds for summer favorites. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce. Last chance this spring to transplant cole family plants such as broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. Soak beet seeds before planting to aid germination.

* Harvest fall-planted lettuce and cabbage before it “bolts” – sending out flower shoots.

* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10 or 4-4-4, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch-thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

* Seed and renovate the lawn, if you have one. Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

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