On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me….a partridge in a pear tree.  At least that is what the bird lovers of Costa Rica hope for as they take to the selva armed with binoculars and bird species guides in the annual “Conteo Navideño” or Christmas Bird Count.  This started way back in 1900 and is the way all the species of birds in Costa Rica are identified and counted, and sometimes a few new ones are discovered.  At least, that is every bird lover’s dream, to identify a new species in the wild.  The count actually began on December 14 and will terminate on Jan 15, giving a full month for bird enthusiasts that are participating throughout the country to count the some 900 species of birds of Costa Rica’s diverse forests.  In Monteverde for instance, always a popular spot for bird watching, there will be five counters, led by Melvin Leitón, a naturist guide in the Monteverde Reserve and passionate bird watcher for the last 15 years.  Accompanying the Tico counters in Monteverde will be North American, Serena Boston.  Patience, good eye sight and keen hearing are important qualities for the birdwatcher (or pajarero in Spanish).  For example, Melvin, with his 15 years of experience, recognizes the different species based on the sound of their whistles.  In the past, in Monteverde alone, some 363 species have been counted.