Are you a bird watcher? Well, now’s your chance to sit back, watch and — count. This weekend, Mentor will be defending its title as the #1 birding spot in the United States and Canada.

In 2009, birding enthusiasts in Mentor reported seeing 762 species of birds over a three day period; the total bird tally in Mentor was 14,588 birds which included Canada geese, American robins, wild turkeys, great blue herons and snowy owls.

This year, the count is scheduled for February 12-15. The event is sponsored by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. To find out why these organizations want to know how many birds we have, or to download a Checklist and a Bird Count Form go to www.birdsource.org.