COEUR d'ALENE - Out of nearly 9,000 birds counted Saturday, one stood out.

"Our big find was the Virginia rail," said Shirley Sturts, an organizer and compiler of the Coeur d'Alene Audobon Society's annual Christmas bird count.

The bird, which weighs about 3 ounces, is about 8 to 10 inches long and has a wingspan of about 15 inches, was spotted in the Fernan Creek area. Considered "secretive," it has been spotted in North Idaho in the summer, but never in the winter.

Until now.

Since the bird tends to be elusive, there's always the chance it has been out there other winters and no one knew. Sturts guessed it might still be around due to the mild weather and minimal snowfall.

Either way, Saturday's sighting was new and a highlight of the 21st annual count.

"I have absolutely no winter records for Virginia rail," Sturts said.

It was a search of sevens.

Seven teams totaling 25 observers - packing binoculars, telescopes and bird identification books - set out for seven areas around 7 a.m. within seven miles of Coeur d'Alene Memorial Gardens, the center of their circle. That takes in Hayden Lake, Garwood, Rathdrum, Kidd Island Bay, most of Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene.

It stretches to about Silver Beach, which means counters don't venture into Mineral Ridge, Higgens Point areas, where most bald eagles hang out this time of year.

"That's why we have a low eagle count," Sturts said.

In nine hours, they counted 8,798 birds, the fourth-highest in 21 years. The highest remains 10,119 counted in 2007.

"That was a good year," Sturts said.

The final tally came to 71 species, the second-highest behind 73 species counted in 2003 and 2007.

It included 2,377 Canada goose, 1,185 European starlings, 461 ring-billed gulls, 385 American coots, 223 house finches and one northern pintail.

Beside the Virginia rail, another big find was three trumpeter swans spotted in Hayden Lake. They've been seen only two times since the count began in 1990. The tundra swan is more common.

New count records were set for four species:

• Cackling geese, 11

• Common merganser, 420

• Redhead, 34

• House sparrows, 330

Overall, Sturts said the count went well and it was a good day for observing birds. The weather was pretty clear with no wind after the morning fog burned off.

"When there's no wind, you see a lot more birds," she said.

And it was about 35 degrees, which isn't bad.

"Sometimes we're out there freezing," she said, chuckling.

Whatever the Coeur d'Alene Aubodon Society bird counters endure, they say it's necessary. It goes beyond a hobby.

"It's a pretty important inventory of winter birds," Sturts said.

"You're telling the health of the environment. They're kind of an indicator of the health of the environment."