If you want to see the American coot and many other showy bird species, plan on attending World Migratory Bird Day hosted by refuge personnel and the Yakima Valley Audubon Society. It’s scheduled for May 12 at Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge. Activities include bird banding demonstrations, guided bird walks, tractor-driven hay rides (to refuge marshes usually closed to the public), and children’s games. The event is free and goes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The refuge is three miles south of Toppenish on US 97. Turn off at the brown binocular sign.