Tweeters,
I just heard, then saw, a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT next to the wetlands on our property in Roy.

I was out back when I heard a Chat singing at the south edge of our property, east of our house and west of the wetland there. I yelled to my wife, grabbed bins and headed down there. The Chat continued singing but moved north along the wetland. As I chased it, it moved over to my neighbor's property and up into some trees bordering the wetland (which is extensive- about 3 miles long bordering 48th Ave S in Roy). I went to the other side of the trees and then got a brief view of it. My wife then said "It's over here!" It had popped back to the wetland side of the trees right in front of her. (It made a few muted calls a couple of times, but mostly continued singing off-and-on.) It flew off north to some trees, sang a few times, and then flew even further north along the west side of the wetland and out of our sight and hearing.

The wetlands here are mostly reed-canary grass with an extensive overstory of a couple willow species in the middle.

I'll keep checking as I work outside, but think this was a bird passing north to the JBLM (Ft. Lewis) training area 13 or more likely 15.

This was the first sighting I've had of this species here, although it was on my possibles list because the wetland habitat is typical and we're in the prairie zone of south Puget Sound down here.

May all your birds be identified,
Denis

avnacrs4birds at outlook.com

Avian Acres 🦉
Roy, WA
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