Young Yellow-breasted Chat in the Wasatch Mountains – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/800, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Being in the right place at the right moment in time netted me these young Yellow-breasted Chat photos high in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning. And I was ecstatic.
In all of my time in Utah I have dreamed of getting Yellow-breasted Chat photos but all I have gotten is extremely long distance documentary images of them until yesterday.
I could curse some construction I had to cope because it forced me to move down the road earlier than I normally might have but I won’t. I’m grateful for it because if I hadn’t traveled the road precisely as I did yesterday I would not have found this young chat and I consider it a lifer.
Scruffy immature Yellow-breasted Chat – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 640, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I’ve seen Yellow-breasted Chats. They visited my garden in Virginia and I’ve seen them on my travels across the country. The thing is I don’t consider any bird or animal a lifer until I get photos of them and the documentary images I have taken prior to yesterday didn’t meet my standards.
I had barely stopped and turned off my engine when I spotted this scruffy immature Yellow-breasted Chat out in the open. As quickly as I could I grabbed my camera, locked onto the chat and started taking images of it. The chat stuck around long enough for me to take 94 images of it on this perch and one other branch.
Hatch year Yellow-breasted Chat in the mountains – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1250, ISO 640, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Of all the birds that could have and did show up in my viewfinder yesterday I was most excited about this messy looking, hatch year Yellow-breasted Chat. The images aren’t perfect but I’m happy with them just the way they are.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see my Yellow-breasted Chat photos plus facts and information about this species.
Beautiful balance and color. And, of course, the detail is extraordinary. Thanks Mia.
I like what you get excited about! The enthusiasm travels over the internet.
So fun! I saw my first this year along the Provo River. I think is because I was with Tana. She is good luck to bird with!
Beautiful shots Mia, yet another small bird I’m not familiar with .. so much to learn!
A superb series of photographs of this youngster!
I’ve seen chats a few times during migration but never managed a photo.