Will you become Birder of the Year?

In every issue of WildBird, we pose a question in the Lister's Forum and Birder's Back Yard departments. Readers who provide timely responses might see their replies in a future issue, and they might be named Forum Birder or Backyard Birder in that issue. Those birders receive certificates and prizes from sponsors, such as Swarovski Optik North America and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

In the November/December issue, the six Forum Birders and six Backyard Birders become eligible for the Birder of the Year title and more prizes. WildBird readers vote to award the title and prizes.

This year's Forum Birders and Backyard Birders are eligible for books donated by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as well as a Swarovski Optik gift pack (above) including a cleaning kit, pocket keyring knife, hat and car window decal. The Birder of the Year will receive a Swarovski 8x32 EL binocular and a five-day guided birding trip with Swarovski Optik and WildBird hosts.

Sound appealing? Then answer the questions in Lister's Forum and Birder's Back Yard before the deadline!

The current deadline is Dec. 18, this Friday, so look today at pages 15 and 27 in the January/February issue. As little as 250 words could earn you the trip of a lifetime!

The 2008 Birder of the Year -- Connie Kogler of Loveland, Colo. -- received a Swarovski 8x32 EL and a guided trip to Costa Rica, courtesy of Swarovski Optik North America. Her report appeared in the September/October 2009 issue on page 4 and online.