Late yesterday afternoon I saw a ghostly movement nearby and for a moment
wasn't sure whether it was a leaf or a bird, but since leaves normally do not
fly into a brush pile, I concluded bird, probably Winter Wren. Sure enough, it
popped out and began chattering at me. It then proceeded to play a
cat-and-mouse game, going from one of my pulled-invasives plant piles to
another, displaying and chattering. I enjoyed this and it reminded me of
similar behavior by a similarly pale wren last winter in the same area. The
little guys seem to have figured out what I am doing with pulling up invasive
English Ivy and that it is opening up more foraging opportunities for them and
generating shelter piles, and I think they dig it.
Then, this evening at 5:15 PM, in very dim light, I happened to be in the right
place at the right time, also at Long Branch Nature Center, by the humpback
bridge, to see two little figures fly into a shrub. Then Winter Wren singing
began. Then I heard counter-singing from nearby to the south. I think there
probably were 3 wrens, the 2 I saw interacting, and a 3rd nearby that I did not
see, but did hear. Definitely there were 2 singers. I don't remember ever
seeing Winter Wrens associating in the fall/winter season.
Not much else going on, just the usual birds of the season. But the American
Crows sure were agitated this evening, and the Barred Owl has been heard in the
area once more.
Cheers,
Steve Young, Arlington/Glencarlyn
