In each November/December issue, WildBird subscribers have the chance to crown one of their peers as Birder of the Year. The candidates appear as Forum Birders and Backyard Birders in each previous issue. The contest is open to everyone who responds to the questions posed in Birder’s Back Yard and Lister’s Forum.

As 2008 Birder of the Year, Kogler received a Swarovski 8x32 EL binocular and an expenses-paid five-day trip for two to Costa Rica with Swarovski and WildBird hosts. She previously received a Swarovski squall jacket as well as “Songs of Wild Birds” by Lang Elliott and “Peterson Field Guide to the Birds of North America,” provided by Houghton Mifflin when she was named Backyard Birder in the November/December 2007 issue.

By Connie Kogler

I was working at home last December when “Bowtie, INC” flashed on my phone as it rang. When I finally picked up the phone, Amy Hooper introduced herself and said I had won the Birder of the Year contest.

An explosion of butterflies erupted as I grinned and nodded to my husband, Al, and our daughter Maggie. We were going to Costa Rica! Not only that, I had won a delicious pair of Swarovski 8X42 ELs. Seriously. Wow.

A few weeks later, the ELs came in the mail, joining the warm coat and great books that previously arrived. I spent the winter decked out in Swarovski’s best every time I went outside.

In mid-June, Al and I met Amy at Denver International Airport and arrived in Costa Rica at 5:30 a.m., meeting our guide Alex Villegas, driver Raphael Arguedas and Clay Taylor of Swarovski Optik. We loaded our luggage aboard a great van and drove about 90 minutes on roads reminiscent of Colorado’s backcountry mountain trails to Rancho Robertos for a wonderful tico breakfast. Birding started off with a bang in the parking lot with Palm Tanager, Social Flycatcher, Collared Aracari and Tropical Kingbird.

After breakfast, we stopped at Posada Andrea Cristina and met Alex Martinez, who has been involved in protecting and preserving Great Green Macaws and their habitat. Alex M. joined our Alex V. to wander his property, hoping of course for a view of the great greens.

Something big moved in a large almendro tree. Macaws! We scrambled to point our optical equipment toward the tree.

Yes! We could hardly breathe for the crippling looks that we received of these majestic birds. They fed for at least 10 minutes before an alarm call was sounded and eight – eight! -- macaws flew off in two directions. What a privilege and a fantastic opportunity to see these endangered birds.

Our next stop was Selva Verde Lodge in Chilamate, Sarapiquí, followed by a visit to La Selva Biological Station. Birds that stood out at the station were Keel-billed Toucan, Rufous-winged Woodpecker, Lineated Woodpecker, Chestnut-colored Woodpecker, an immature Northern Barred Woodcreeper, Black-throated Trogan and Violet-crowned Woodnymph. My word, can it get any better?

On Thursday afternoon, we drove to Savegre Mountain Hotel in San Gerardo de Dota. An extremely steep, narrow and gorgeous 6-mile drive took us to the bottom of the canyon.

Before dinner, we enjoyed the swarm of hummingbirds at the feeders: Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, Scintillant Hummingbird, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Green Violet-ear (They’re proud of those ear feathers, flaring them out at every opportunity), Magnificent Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing. Whew! Such lovely, lovely birds.

A few of us began Friday at 5:30 a.m., looking for Resplendent Quetzals, and boy did we find them -- five actually. We also enjoyed Flame-colored Tanager, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Yellow-thighed Finch and Sulphur-winged Parakeet.

We continued birding the hotel grounds after breakfast. Delightful birds -- such as Black-faced Solitaire, Tufted Flycatcher, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush and Spangled-cheeked Tanager -- kept us busy until lunch, followed by the drive to Hotel Villa Lapas in Jaco.

The next morning, we met early and took breakfast-to-go for a trek through Carara National Park. Ready for any weather, we started down the Laguna Meandrica trail, sometimes wading in water halfway to our knees. Two birds among many stood out for me: the lovely, furtive, calling Black-faced Antthrush and the tiny jewel American Pygmy Kingfisher.

On our way back to San Jose, we made a couple stops. The first – heading toward the mangrove forest near Playa Azul – yielded Turquoise-browed Motmot, Streaked Flycatcher and Rufous-browed Peppershrike. We also stopped at the town square in Orotina and enjoyed great looks at a Black-and-white Owl and two three-toed sloths.

I don’t know if it’s possible to thank WildBird, Swarovski, you the subscribers and voters, our guide Alex and driver Raphael enough. We had an incredibly fantastic time, each day bringing new adventure and delights. Thank you so much for this trip that created memories to last a lifetime.