[obol] YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, Viewer Friendly in WASH CO

[Norgren Family]

     There is a Chat at the Manning
Trailhead of the Banks-Vernonia Linear
Park that beats all previous ones for
ease of viewing. Know someone in a
wheelchair that needs this bird for
their life list? This is the time!
    Heading toward Seaside on Hwy 26,
about 30 miles from downtown Portland,
look for the State Park logo sign.
It will be after Sunset Produce and
Dingheiser Tavern(now the "Flying Pig").
If you see Dairy Queen you've gone a
little too far. Turn right onto Pihl
Road and the Linear Park parking lot is
right there.
     Walk se (towards Portland/Banks)on
the PAVED(!)path to where there are trees
on both sides of the path, less than one
football field length. The Chat is on the
ne side of the trail. He was singing away
at 7am yesterday(July 10). There is a series
of discreet shrubs- willows and ash, with large
gaps between them. The chat flits from bush
to bush, revealing itself often in this
blackberry free location. Sometimes it sings
from dead branches up above the foliage.
    The one disadvantage is the morning sun,
directly behind the bird. It is possible the
surrounding ground is dry and one could wade
through the canary grass to get a better
angle. Multiple WILLOW FLYCATCHERS also
present with the Chat.