Bird watchers outdid themselves during the 2008 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. Participants submitted more than 85,000 checklists during the four-day event, February 15-18, surpassing last year's all-time record by several thousand. Participants also identified a record 634 species and sent in thousands of stunning bird images from around the continent.

Be sure to check out our Kids Art Gallery featuring the works of budding artists from all over the country. Visit www.birdcount.org for more details from this year's results. You can explore maps, see beautiful photos, prize-drawing winners, and the list cities and towns that topped their state or province for the number of checklists submitted-our "checklist champs." Keep in mind the next GBBC is on President's Day weekend February 13-16, 2009.