Assunpink WMA Navigation Beacon 5/28--Yellow-breasted Chat

It could be anywhere!

My annual pursuit of the Yellow-breasted Chat in the navigation beacon field at Assunpink was successful. At 7:25 A.M., on my third try, walking through the high grass along a line of bushes and trees I heard the chattering of a bird that didn't sound like any other I know of, though mockingbird did cross my mind. Chats are aptly named & as the bird chittered and chattered and whistled and sang, I pished until I felt like a fool and to no avail. But then, peering through a small opening in the leaves I saw a yellow spot moving and found the bird, yellow breast, "spectacles" and all. And, after checking myself thoroughly, no ticks!

I then did my usual walk through the fields, up through the Norway Spruce grove and down to Stone Tavern Lake and back, picking up the usual birds I would expect to see, though practically no warblers. Even the Common Yellowthroats were sparse. Birds are probably starting to nest (I saw a Cedar Waxwing carrying a stalk of grass) or the early heat of the morning was already putting them back into the cool shadows.

I managed 29 species for the morning and unless something amazing shows up there, I think my tick-risking days there are over for the summer.
Canada Goose  1     Stone Tavern Lake
Mourning Dove  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1     Heard
Eastern Wood-Pewee  1     Heard
Great Crested Flycatcher  1
Eastern Kingbird  1
White-eyed Vireo  5
Warbling Vireo  1     Heard, parking lot
Red-eyed Vireo  1
Blue Jay  1     Heard
American Crow  1     Heard
Tree Swallow  1
Carolina Chickadee  3
Wood Thrush  1     Heard
American Robin  5
Gray Catbird  15
Cedar Waxwing  1
Common Yellowthroat  5
Yellow Warbler  2
Yellow-breasted Chat  1    
Chipping Sparrow  1
Field Sparrow  6
Song Sparrow  1     Heard
Eastern Towhee  5
Northern Cardinal  2     Heard
Indigo Bunting  3
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  1     Norway Spruce grove
American Goldfinch  1