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Orange-breasted Chat



Carolinabirders,

Today while doing some county birding in Laurens County, SC, between Lake
Greenwood and Cross Hill I found a Yellow-breasted Chat with an
international orange breast. The breast was precisely the color of a male
Baltimore Oriole. The breast was a little splotchy (the splotches were even
a little brighter), yet the very edge of the breast was the yellow of a
typical chat's breast. I checked all other field marks I could and concluded
that it was no different from any other chat, only with a bright orange
breast. It sounded just like a chat, too.

I drove the 1 1/2 hours home to get my camera and to quickly make a Chat
tape. When I returned I was able to re-locate it, and this time it was with
what I presume was its mate. The mate was your average, typical chat. Both
sang.  Neither was impressed with my tape. My looks with camera in hand were
not nearly as good as my looks with only binoculars in hand, so I was not
able to photograph it.

Holler if anyone wants directions. It was singing on territory when I found
it and was only about 100 yards away when I re-located it.

Bob Wood
2421 Owl Circle
West Columbia, SC 29169
H: (803) 791-3833
W: (803) 771-7900
bobwood@ix.netcom.com