I’ve been hearing common yellowthroats for the past couple of weeks, and I’d managed to catch glimpses of them a couple of times. I knew that if I were patient, I’d eventually get a clear shot. That happened this morning, and in an unexpected way.
Common yellowthroats typically lurk in the grasses and often pop up to sing. I heard one as soon as I stepped out of my car this morning at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm, but not in a typical spot. I parked in the lot on Blackwell Road that forms the northern border of the park, separating it from Rosedale Park.
I headed to the trail that parallels the road, hoping to catch sight of a yellow-breasted chat that had been recently reported and photographed there. I spent a good chunk of my 70-minute visit hearing a chat (as confirmed by my Merlin app) but never spotting it.
I wandered around the corner of the the trail, heading toward the heart of the Pole Farm. At one point, I looked up high at a bare tree and spotted a common yellowthroat at the top. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen one that far above ground before, but as the photo below shows, it was unmistakably a common yellowthroat.
On my way back to my car, I heard another yellowthroat close by in the tall grasses. I spotted him and took a few shots before he flew off into the grass. I was able to track him as he eventually came closer into view, and I caught him mid-song. One of those photos tops this post.
I look forward to more close and photo-friendly encounters with common yellowthroats in the weeks ahead. Who knows — I may even get to get a shot of yellow-breasted chat! 🦅
The Jersey Birder 