My First Marsh Wren Sighting of the Year

Saturday we were mercifully blessed with a beautiful sunny day, with temperatures finally above freezing. We didn’t waste a moment getting out and walking Theler Wetlands. We met John about halfway through our walk and I asked him if the Marsh Wren’s had returned. He suggested they hadn’t ever left but that he had just recently heard several of them vocalizing.

That was all I needed to find two of them on the boardwalk. This guy was just on the far side of the reeds.

We saw him chase off a rival that tried to invade his territory, but seemed to be spending most of its time rebuilding nests, constantly ducking out of sight in the reeds.

Though it was impossible to ignore his song, he didn’t sing it with the gusto reserved for attracting a mate.

Spring may not be here yet, even with our 48º temperature, but it’s about to arrive as also vouched for by the first sighting a rather sad-looking skunk cabbage who improvidently emerged before last week’s freezing temperatures.