Alexander Skutch wrote numerous scholarly works on Neotropical birds from the time he moved to his simple ranch in Costa Rica in 1941 until his death at the age of 99 on 5/12/04. 'For a large and growing number of people, birds are the strongest bond with the living world of nature. They charm us with lovely plumage and melodious songs; our quest of them takes us to the fairest places; to find them and uncover some of their well-guarded secrets we exert ourselves greatly and live intensely. In the measure that we appreciate and understand them and are grateful for our coexistence with them, we help to bring to fruition the agelong travail that made them and us. This, I am convinced, is the highest significance of our relationship with birds.' - Alexander F. Skutch (closing phrases from "The Appreciative Mind", the epilogue to A Bird Watcher's Adventures in Tropical America) This photo of myself with Dr. Skutch was taken at his ranch 1/24/02