The 2012 Great Backyard Bird Count begins today. The count will last for four days with the last day on Monday, Feb. 20. This count is a big deal in our book. It is a chance to participate in an international event and the rules only require a participant to count the birds in their backyard for 15 minutes.

Of course, recording the results and sending the numbers to the count headquarters is also part of the event. The simplicity of this event makes it ideal for young families with young children, yet it is interesting enough to entice all of the ages up to 102-year-old senior citizens. OK, perhaps I misspoke; anyone over 102 years old is invited to play a part also.

Here are some details: Participants count birds, record the results and report the results to national headquarters. Sounds simple and it is simple. Here is how this particular bird count works.

Say we have a family of four, with the children being 6 and 10 years old. The family needs to plan on counting for at least 15 minutes on at least one day. So they decide to count on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 1 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

During this time period, the family counted one group of 50 English sparrows, 10 junkos and 5 house finches. However, after the first group sparrows flew off, another group of 30 English sparrows appeared 10 minutes later.

The number to record is the greatest number of individuals of each species seen together at any one time, so the number to record for English sparrows is 50. If three groups of junkos were seen during the 15 minutes, one of 10, a group of seven and a group of three, only the group of 10 should be counted. Do not add the numbers together.

The numbers and types of birds can be recorded on any piece of paper, but participants are able to print a data form from the Great Backyard Bird Count website.

This family of four had so much fun during the 15 minutes, they decide to continue the count for another two hours. The next day, they decide to count for three hours beginning at 9 a.m.

Per the rules of the event, counts can take place in as many places and on as many days as the participants want, one day or all four days. The event is called the backyard-bird count, because counters are able to count birds in their backyard from inside the house. But the backyard is not a limit for the count.

Our family of four climbs into the vehicle and heads for the city park and conduct a count of 30 minutes from inside the Jeep. Next they travel to the south end of Moses Lake and count for another 30 minutes.

Participants need to submit a separate checklist for each day and, also, a separate checklist for each location visited where a count was conducted.

The various counts are to be submitted on the bird count website after the count has begun, after 7 a.m. today, plus they may be submitted for a few days after the count has concluded.

This should also be a great exercise for school classes, even grade school classes. Once again, folks, this bird count is a great way to introduce a lifetime sport to the youth of the Columbia Basin. It has the ability to become an excellent form of family entertainment.

Last year's stats

The most frequent bird species counted in 2011 was the northern cardinal, with the mourning dove coming in second. Total checklists submitted were 92,218; total species observed was 594 and the number of individual birds counted was 11,471,949.

The website for the Great Backyard Bird Count is: www.birdsource.org/gbbc/

March meeting

Mark your calendars: The March 9 and 10 Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting mentioned above is scheduled to take place in Moses Lake. The agenda has not been publicized, but we will keep checking.

Attending meetings is not one of our favorite pastimes, but this will be a chance to see the Commission at work on our home territory. Don't miss out on your chance to see the Commission in action.

See below another reason to attend the meeting.

Fish and Wildlife accepting comments on proposed hunting rules through Feb. 21

The public will be able to comment on new hunting rules proposed for the 2012-14 seasons through next Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Fish and Wildlife is accepting written comments on more than a dozen proposals, ranging from allowing waterfowl hunters to use electronic decoys to adding a day to western Washington elk seasons.

The proposals, posted at http://bit.ly/qZ6EMZ, have been developed after a series of public meetings and online discussions that began last summer.

Many of these proposals are based on suggestions received from hunters and other members of the public since last spring. This is a chance to comment on the department's final recommendations.

Written comments may be e-mailed to wildthing@dfw.wa.gov or mailed to: WDFW Rules Coordinator, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501.

The number of hunting season proposals was significantly lower this year, largely due to a moratorium on new rules set by the Governor's Office, according to Fish and Wildlife. Only rules necessary for resource conservation, required by state or federal law, or requested by those affected were considered.

The Commission is scheduled to hold a final round of public comments during a meeting set March 9-10 in Moses Lake. The commission is scheduled to vote on the new hunting rules during a meeting April 13-14 in Olympia.