Common Yellowthroat in January!

 

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jan 5, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jan 5, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jan 5, 2023

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Dec 6, 2022 (comparison photo showing same plumage as the bird today)

I was feeling better enough to go out for a longer walk today and I decided to follow up on a Common Yellowthroat sighting from yesterday in Amherst.  I initially didn't think I would get a chance as the forecast called for freezing rain/drizzle early but that never materialized and the plain rain ended early so I was able to get out for a bit.   The sighting yesterday from John was in an area in Amherst somewhat near where I had one in early December and I sent him some photos from that date and he said the plumage was different so a different individual.  I checked the area where he had his sighting but I failed to turn the bird up but not surprising as John said his sighting was brief and the bird did not show well.  Since I was already in the area I decided to try the spot where I had my bird in December but I didn't expect to have much luck.   After a bit of moving through some flooded areas I had a brief view of a yellowthroat.  I tried to get a better angle on the bird but the flooding was too much and I didn't feel like getting soaked.  I waited and waited and eventually the bird flew further away from me but at least was out in the open a bit and I got some photos.  The bird appears to be the same individual I had in the same spot in December so there are at least two individual Common Yellowthroats in a relatively small area of Amherst.  This bird didn't make any noise at all during the entire time I was watching it so easy to overlook it.  This species is very rare in winter with only a handful of records in all of western Massachusetts.  I have only had the species once before in January and that was back in 2019 on the 17th of January.  With our above normal temperatures and lack of snow cover I suspect there are other individuals out there waiting to be found.  This becomes my second warbler species of the month in Hampshire County after finding a Yellow rumped Warbler on the 2nd in the East Meadows...perhaps with the next cold snap and snow the Pine Warbler will return to Marcia's feeder in Northampton...time will tell.