At the risk of being accused of nepotism I must publish the beautiful photo below, a male Orange-bellied Trogon photographed by my father, Richard Allaire, at Altos del Maria in May of 2006. We worked through heavy rains for much of the day, but still managed to find Rufous-browed Tyrannulet, Tufted Flycatcher, Snowcap, Band-tailed Barbthroat, Russet Antshrike, and Dull-mantled Antbird. Orange-bellied Trogon is seen on almost every field trip to Cerro Gaital and Altos del Maria, but at the publication of Ridgely's Birds of Panama was not known from the region. It will be included on the Canopy Report Watchlist until its current range has been carved in stone.
I have also taken note somewhat belatedly of a report of an Agami Heron found along the Rio Juan Grande on Pipeline Road on November 2nd by Alexis Sanchez et al. This bird was found in a more expected location than the one found at Summit Ponds by Carlos Bethancourt in May of 2006; nonetheless it was lifer for everyone in the group (including Alexis). Alexis Sanchez is a fine young man who has worked his way to the position of full-time guide for the Canopy Tower; he was first pressed into service in this regard when Carlos Bethancourt was bitten by a fer-de-lance on Pipeline Road in August of 2003. Alexis was rewarded for his efforts with another lifer, a family of rare Yellow-breasted Crakes on the Ammo Dump Ponds. In the interim Alexis has honed both his birding skills and his command of English (would that I had such success with my study of Spanish), and he has been the source of many excellent sightings in recent months. Good work Alexis!
