Marsh Wren

     

     It was a beautiful morning, getting out to the salt marsh in the golden sunlight was perfect. Can you believe this is Brooklyn, New York City, this beautiful salt marsh? I also feel quite fortunate that this beautiful escape is just about a mile from my home.

     While Tim went out for his run, I went out to bird in the Marine Park Salt Marsh. It was another day full of small brown birds, like sparrows, but I had the fortunate chance to have a close encounter with a favorite little round bird of mine, the marsh wren.

Looks like someone has some molting to do!

It was such a special treat for this bird to come out from the thick of the phragmites into clear view, actively singing, being so round, and so cute.
These robotic sounding birds, soft and almost muffled is their song, in stark contrast to the loud, clear song of its cousin, the Carolina wren.

I mean, really, who is watching who?
Sometimes just being still, quiet, and maybe whispering a few "hello's" and reminding the bird of how cute it is, rewards you with some amazing, special looks at usually secretive birds.
I think they appreciate knowing how cute they are.

 Listen to the fun little sounds of the marsh wren (which I only saw one of), What I thought was a second bird was indeed a Nelson's Sparrow. Inf act there were TWO Nelson's Sparrows.

You can see how curious this wren was, it comes right out, and I filmed this on my phone, not digiscoped in any way. I actually found myself backing up so I could focus my camera on the bird who ended up being too close!

To not risk scaring this bird, I just shot through the grass. I have never seen a Nelson's Sparrow at this location, and I was rewarded with two. Glad I got a good look and chance to enjoy them because all three were soon flushed into the grasses by a runner on the trails.

In large numbers were palm warbler, foraging on the goldenrod growing in the fields that I am glad they were reluctant to mow down in the marsh. It is surely benefitting migrants and the raptors who frequent the area.