Marsh Wrens

Cistothorus palustris

Marsh Wrens are small, brown secretive birds with dark caps, thin bills, whitish eyelines and bold black and white patterns on their backs. Their tail is usually held in an upright position.

Snow Weary And Needing A Bird Fix

By |2023-03-31T04:26:28-06:00March 31st, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

More fresh snow on the ground this morning. I am snow weary. What I need is a bird, nature, gone exploring in the wild fix with no real or clear return time.

Marsh Wren At Bear River MBR

By |2022-11-05T05:39:16-06:00November 5th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing this photo of a tiny Marsh Wren hanging upside down in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge simply because I like it.

Marsh Wren At Farmington Bay WMA

By |2022-08-23T03:53:53-06:00August 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird I photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday was a curious Marsh Wren perched in a Greasewood bush that seemed to have an eye on me.

Listening To A Marsh Wren Serenade

By |2023-09-19T12:57:29-06:00April 5th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent a few minutes with a singing Marsh Wren that I spotted in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge last week. The tiny wren wasn't close so pointing him out was no easy task.

Marsh Wren Nesting Season Begins In March

By |2023-09-19T16:31:55-06:00March 7th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last visit to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I heard the unmistakable song of a Marsh Wren singing and throughout the morning I heard more of their songs.

World Wetlands Day 2021

By |2024-03-13T04:38:39-06:00February 2nd, 2021|Categories: American Bitterns, American Coots, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Brewer's Blackbirds, Centennial Valley, Cinnamon Teals, Common Checkered-Skippers, Common Mergansers, Conservation, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Environment, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Scaups, Green-winged Teals, Halloween Pennants, Hooded Mergansers, Least Sandpipers, Lesser Scaups, Long-tailed Weasels, Marsh Wrens, Montana, Moose, Muskrats, Northern Harriers, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Reddish Egrets, Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, Rusty Blackbirds, Sandhill Cranes, Scarlet Skimmers, Snowy Egrets, Spotted Sandpipers, Tricolored Herons, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah, Variegated Meadowhawk, White-faced Ibises, Wildflowers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the critical role of wetlands for people, wildlife and our planet.

It’s Nesting Season For Marsh Wrens In Utah

By |2023-09-19T15:15:06-06:00March 26th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Nesting Birds, Utah, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By using a vehicle as a mobile blind I was able to photograph the wrens as they sang, searched for nesting materials, defended their breeding territories and built their nests from a distance.

Autumn Marsh Wrens In Northern Utah

By |2023-09-19T13:42:30-06:00September 26th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Marsh Wrens are year round residents here in northern Utah and this week I've photographed them in the marshes of both Farmington Bay WMA and Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. 

Some Of The Birds Seen At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge During The Month of May

By |2024-02-09T08:22:42-07:00May 19th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American Bitterns, American Coots, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, California Gulls, Cinnamon Teals, Clark's Grebes, Cliff Swallows, Forster's Terns, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, Marsh Wrens, Northern Shovelers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruddy Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, Tree Swallows, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

May is a time of renewal at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and as the marsh begins to green up the migrant birds return and along with the year round residents their songs and calls can be heard over the wetlands.

Marsh Wren Nesting Season Has Begun At Bear River MBR

By |2023-09-19T14:48:18-06:00March 23rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Marsh Wren nesting season has begun here in northern Utah and in my opinion one of the best places to see, listen to and photograph them is from the auto tour route at Bear River MBR.

Nest Building Marsh Wren Plus A Surprise Ferruginous Hawk And FOY Swainson’s Hawk

By |2023-09-19T16:10:52-06:00March 28th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ferruginous Hawks, Marsh Wrens, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a wonderful morning spotting both the Ferruginous and Swainson's Hawks, seeing quite a few other first of season birds and spending time photographing the Marsh Wren while he was busy constructing his nest.

November Marsh Wren at Farmington Bay WMA

By |2023-09-19T14:58:41-06:00November 2nd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

While looking for an image in my archives I came across this photo of a Marsh Wren making a funny face while doing the splits on some cattails at Farmington Bay WMA and wanted to share it.

Autumn Marsh Wren at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2023-09-19T16:36:30-06:00September 29th, 2017|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Marsh Wrens at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge live there year round even through the heat of summer and our harsh winters they are there going about the business of living.

Bear River MBR Marsh Wren perched on rushes

By |2023-09-19T12:28:52-06:00September 13th, 2017|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

Marsh Wrens are small, brown, secretive birds with dark caps, thin bills, whitish eyelines and bold black and white patterns on their backs that usually hold their tails in an upright position.

Mixture of Spring Birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2023-09-19T16:23:54-06:00April 13th, 2017|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, House Sparrows, Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Savannah Sparrows, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was so happy to photograph this mixture of spring birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge that I had a hard time picking out which birds and which photos to share.

Listening for Marsh Wren Songs – Sounds of Early Spring

By |2023-09-19T14:22:41-06:00February 20th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I will be listening for the male Marsh Wrens songs at the pond nearby and the marshes at Farmington Bay WMA and Bear River MBR and waiting to see them pop up on top of the cattails, phrags and rushes.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and A Marsh Wren

By |2023-09-18T17:15:44-06:00November 15th, 2015|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge looks beautiful this time of the year so I took a few images of it with my cell phone and a short video when I was there two days ago.

Quiet Morning Spent with the Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2023-09-19T12:52:49-06:00July 20th, 2015|Categories: American Coots, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Marsh Wrens, Pied-billed Grebes, Utah, Willets|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I headed up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning and I am very glad I did because of the wonderful birds I saw.

Highlights from yesterdays trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2023-09-19T04:55:48-06:00May 17th, 2014|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Double-crested Cormorants, Marsh Wrens, Muskrats, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is always a delight and I never know exactly what I might see when I am there which suits my spontaneous nature perfectly.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge after spring has sprung

By |2023-09-19T11:00:44-06:00February 17th, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Marsh Wrens, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!

Some of the Birds I Love at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

By |2024-02-09T09:47:33-07:00February 6th, 2013|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Duck hybrids, Eastern Kingbirds, Forster's Terns, Marsh Wrens, Snowy Egrets, Swainson's Hawks, Tundra Swans, Utah, Western Grebes, Western Kingbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of my favorite locations to photograph birds in northern Utah is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I've selected some of the birds there that delight and entertain me while I observe and photograph them.

Marsh Wrens

By |2023-09-19T10:11:51-06:00January 8th, 2012|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Marsh Wrens, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed these male Marsh Wrens during breeding season when they were calling on their territories, while the male and female are alike in most aspects the exception is that only the males sing. And sing they do!

Midges and Birds – Food for thought

By |2023-09-19T10:42:59-06:00May 14th, 2011|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Marsh Wrens, Midges, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the time of the year that "midges" are as thick as flies on you-know-what at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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