Bringing your own wagon is optional this weekend for the Great Backyard Bird Count at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska/NPS

Too early for bird counts? Never! And if you're looking to get involved with one, consider this weekend's tally being taken at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska.

The monument will be part of the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) being conducted across the national this weekend. The event is a joint project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithologyand the National Audubon Society. It is an opportunity for families, students, and people of all ages to discover the wonders of nature in backyards, schoolyards, and local parks, and, at the same time, make an important contribution to conservation.  

Friday and Saturday, February 13th and 14th, at 8 a.m. the public is invited to join Ranger Lesley Gaunt to count birds within the monument'™s boundaries. A different location will be visited each day. Participants will be able to park at the Visitor Center and join the ranger in the park'™s shuttle van as they visit birding sites or a caravan may be organized depending on the site to be visited and conditions.

Counts will be done on short hikes or from the shuttle van depending upon the weather. Park entrance fees will be waived for those participating in the bird count. Remember to bring your binoculars and dress accordingly.Participants count birds and report their sightings online at The Great Backyard Bird Count.

Invaluable information is gained from these yearly counts and is added to the national database. Last year 4,296 species were observed in 135 countries. Scientists have found the count shows an amazing amount of migratory, range and population information. The data from the citizen scientists helps researchers understand bird population trends, information that is critical for effective conservation. Their efforts enable everyone to see what would otherwise be impossible: a comprehensive picture of where birds are in late winter and how their numbers and distribution compare with previous years.

Each year, in addition to entering their tallies, participants submit thousands of digital images for the GBBC photo contest. Many are featured in the popular online gallery. Participants in the 2015 count are invited to submit their images to www.birdcount.org.

The event this year coincides with the President'™s Day fee free weekend. Entrance into all National Park Service sites will be free on February 14, 15, and 16. The monument will be open for the full holiday weekend.

The Oregon Trail Museum Association offers birding and other nature guides for sale within the bookstore at the Scotts Bluff National Monument visitor center. All books and other sales materials will be discounted 15 percent both days of the bird count, February 13th and 14th.