House Wren at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UtahHouse Wren at Bear River – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I am very used to seeing and hearing Marsh Wrens at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge because they are there more or less all year long and they delight me with their songs and somewhat pugnacious behaviors.

Last August I was a bit surprised to see a young House Wren at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge from the auto tour loop around the marshes there. I had been photographing Marsh Wrens when this House Wren popped up into my view.

I suspect that this House Wren was probably just migrating through the Great Basin hub of the Pacific flyway on its way to its wintering grounds because the habitat at the refuge isn’t what House Wrens usually prefer.

House Wrens are a very common bird in the Western Hemisphere and are secondary cavity nesters that use old woodpecker or sapsucker nesting cavities to raise their young and they will also nest in man made nest boxes.

This wren didn’t sing but I do enjoy hearing their calls and songs while I photograph them in other locations.

I hope to find more House Wrens to photograph and observe this year and their calls can help me locate them quite easily. Hearing their calls and then seeing them is how I found a wonderful aspen that had several nesting cavities that other species of birds also used to raise their young in Clark County, Idaho. I know that birders often use their ears to locate birds and so does this bird photographer.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my House Wren photos plus facts and information about this species.