Common Yellowthroat in Amherst in January!

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jan 17, 2018

Common Yellowthroat, Rail trail, Amherst, MA, Jan 17, 2018

My efforts to find late season warblers around here paid off again this cold morning when I had brief looks at a Common Yellowthroat off the rail trail in Amherst.  I have never had this species in the county in January but it was certainly on my radar as I was working through a frosty marsh area.  It popped into view briefly and never showed itself again and did not make any calls at all the entire time I was there.  I tried to get better photos but the bird never showed itself again after popping up briefly.  There are few records of this species in any county in western Massachusetts during the January-February time period although this year does appear to be a good one for them as one was reported in Hadley on January 1st and James Smith has had one continuing up in Northfield until at least January 9th.  The only other records I can find in the area include one in Amherst on Jan 13, 2007, one in Turner's Falls on Jan 1, 2012 and another in Stockbridge on Jan 28, 2007.  I will be checking up on the bird again in the future but the upcoming heavy snow and bitter cold do not look good for its continued presence.