Top 10 birding sites

The best places to watch birds in North America, from Birder’s World magazine:

1. Canyons and parks of southeastern Arizona

2. Cape May, N.J.

3. J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Fla.

4. Everglades National Park, Fla.

5. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Fla.

6. Point Pelee National Park, Ontario

7. Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif.

8. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, N.M.

9. Crane Creek State Park, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio

10. Coast of Monterey Bay, Calif.

Discounts await Washington visitors

More than 70 Washington-area hotels are offering discounted rates as part of the Holiday Homecoming promotion now through Jan. 31. Sample weekend rates, per night: Marriott Washington, $89; Georgetown University Conference Center, $79; Hyatt Regency Bethesda, $109.

Jan. 13-19 will be D.C. Restaurant Week, during which many city restaurants will offer three-course, fixed-price meals starting at $20.03 for lunches and $30.03 for dinners. About 80 restaurants will take part. For information on lodging packages, Restaurant Week, or seasonal events, check the Web site www.washington.org or call (800) 422-8644.

S.C. ‘Chitlin Strut’ may be nearing end

Salley, S.C. – After 37 years of holding a festival for chitlins, town officials are finally having second thoughts about hosting an annual celebration of pigs’ innards.

What began nearly four decades ago as a way for a small town to pay for Christmas decorations has turned into a burden.

With no volunteers or sponsors, the town foots the bill for the festival and it has lost money in recent years. Lackluster crowds and economics are to blame.

Another problem is the festival organizers are aging.

“There are very few young people in town,” Mayor Bob Salley said. “I’ll be 76 in January. Some of us are just getting worn out.”