Dutchess County YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT!

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~YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT! Hopeland Sanctuary in Staatsburg, NY 6/6/15.~

All twitches should be this easy! Actually it would probably get boring if they were all this easy, but this morning I was more than happy to have an easy time finding the YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT which had been initially located by Steve Bauer and reported by many. I got up very early and headed north towards Hopeland Sanctuary in Staatsburg, NY. It was raining pretty good as I left, and I was beginning to think it was a mistake to try and fit this into my busy day. When I arrived, it was cloudy and gray, but rain-free. I did not have any details about the bird or the sanctuary, I was figuring that there might be some other birders present to point me in the right direction, but unfortunately this was not the case, so I parked and headed up the trail. About 100 yards in, the trail split, the Hopeland Trail continued straight and the Huntington Trail went off to the right. I’m not sure why I took the Huntington Trail, but I did, and a couple hundred yards later I heard and saw the bird, perched out in the open! I watched and photographed as the bird moved around in the brush on the right hand side of the trail, more often out of sight than in sight, but calling nearly non-stop. I took photos whenever the bird did come out in the open, the light was low so the shots are a noisy, but I am so thrilled to get any chat photos at all! This was as different as can be from my Yellow-breasted Chat FAIL from last spring! This was a life bird for me (#341), and an exciting one at that!

~YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT cooperating for a photo! Hopeland Sanctuary, Staatsburg NY 6/615.~
~YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT cooperating for a photo! Hopeland Sanctuary, Staatsburg NY 6/615.~
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~What a thrill to see this bird! YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at Hopeland Sanctuary, 6//6/15.~
~This Pileated Woodpecker was SO close but never got out into the open! Mills-Norrie State Park, 6/6/15.~
~This Pileated Woodpecker was SO close but never got out into the open! Mills-Norrie State Park, 6/6/15.~

9 thoughts on “Dutchess County YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT!”

  1. Fantastic, Matt

    The yellow is so bright! I’m glad you got to see this bird.

    Have a great rest of the weekend!

    Wilma

  2. Congratulations Matt! I wish our recent bird had been so cooperative. Actually, I think this is the first time I remember hearing the word “easy” in the same sentence as “Yellow-breasted Chat” ! Good for you, and I think your pics are great!

    1. Thanks! It was incredible John, especially after going 0 for 5 tries last year with the chat at Sterling Forest. Matt

  3. Awesome Matt! The one at the Bash found by John that I was lucky enough to get to see on May 7 wasn’t showing off like this one! Congrats on a great bird!
    Scotty

  4. Pingback: Challenging Chat |

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