The yellow-breasted chat, the largest warbler to come our way, is a frequent visitor to Central Park, but one that has eluded me for some time — until this year. We had a chat hanging out at Sparrow Rock in Central Park for several days, and more recently a chat has spent 16-plus days at the cemetery at Trinity Church in Lower Manhattan.
Yellow-breasted chat at Trinity Church, Lower Manhattan, Nov. 18, 2016
I am not a great warbler photographer. These birds flit and fly so fast that I and my camera cannot keep up. But occasionally I get lucky and the little yellow birdies reward my video and photographic efforts. Such was the case on Nov. 1, when I saw the yellow birdie at Sparrow Rock, and then on Nov. 18, when I was so fortunate to have the chat pose for me at Trinity Church. So, as is my wont, I made a video! The music is by Henry Purcell, arranged for recorders, and performed by Papalin.
These little birdies are fattening up on berries and insects before they head south to Central America for the winter. What a delight to see them, and to add them to my Filming the Feather series.
All the photos below are of the Trinity Church chat.
