On my last visit to this location a few days ago I hoped to see, but didn't actively pursue, a Yellow-breasted Chat.

Since then, I've learned that it can be very hard to see these birds outside of their breeding season in May (when the males sing from the tops of trees and such). So it seemed like my chances of seeing one wasn't great: it's either now, in May, or I'd likely have to wait an entire year to try again. With this in mind, I saw that once again Yellow-breasted Chat had been seen at this location.

So I woke up at 6am and went back there. I used Merlin's Sound ID, running the entire time, to help alert me to a singing Chat. Finally, after a mile of slowly moving along the trail, Merlin signalled Yellow-breasted Chat! It wasn't too near but it was hard to tell. I kept looking high in trees to see if there was one perched high, singing, but didn't see one. I crept along the trail, and the sounds being made by this bird kept getting louder and louder. What a loud, charismatic bird!

Finally I crept to where it sounded very very close. Then I saw it in a low bushy area. It was moving from the top of one tree or bush to the top of another, singing loudly the whole time.

It was a very fun bird to watch and to listen to. Luckily, I was able to get a few OK photos.

These photos are © 2023 Phil Thompson, all rights reserved.

My "birds in review" collages can be found here.