The exuberance of the singing Marsh Wren may be unmatched in North American marshes.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 400, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
In this species only males sing but they have plenty of enthusiasm for the rest of their kind. I photographed this guy in May ten years ago at Bear River MBR. In their bid for nesting success neighboring male Marsh Wrens engage in complex countersinging duels almost continuously day and night and this one was giving it his best effort.
Personally I adore the song of the Marsh Wren for its sheer audacity and enthusiasm if not for its musical qualities but not everyone shares my enthusiasm. Audubon once compared their “song, if song I may call it… [to]… the grating of a rusty hinge.” and Audubon was far from the only early naturist to have similar sentiments.
Apologies for a quickly thrown together blog post today, in part because I’ve more than met my match with another task competing with composing new editions of Feathered Photography. Yesterday a seemingly simple project involving my 30 year old lawn sprinkling system (that must have been designed and installed by a dyslexic dropout from plumbing school) turned into a homeowner’s nightmare, especially one with a compromised back and resulting nerve issues. And last-minute problems with installing a new internal hard drive on my primary computer only added to my misery and frustrations.
Excuses, excuses but I’m gonna use them.
Ron
PS – I hope it goes without saying that I mean no disparagement toward those with dyslexia with my earlier analogy. In fact my intention is quite the opposite. I have friends and have had students in the past with that unfortunate learning disorder and without exception they have my respect for their efforts at overcoming their significant learning challenges.
It may actually have been my admiration for and familiarity with dyslexics I’ve known that made me think of them as I tried to figure out what possible kind of logic my sprinkler installer used more than thirty years ago when he laid out that tangled mess of bendable PVC pipe. This morning my front lawn has so many exploratory holes dug in it as I tried to follow convoluted pipe paths it looks like it’s infested with pocket gophers.
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Wow Ron , I just came across your page on the Hawks Aloft FB page.
I love how you can scroll to your next story and pics so easily.
The Marsh Wren eh , so that’s what’s making all that beautiful racket. I call mine “Mr. Loudpants” LOL
I have some decent sounds of him on video. Non stop I tell ya.
How best to share w/ you or on that posting?
RR
Hooray for the marsh wren.
Hiss and spit at both the ‘puter issues (which I have AGAIN this morning and trying to follow that long ago trail.
Good luck.
EC, as of this afternoon my ‘puter problem is solved, thanks to Mia and Eric, the son of my friend April Olson who often comments here. I’m much relieved.
Marsh Wrens visit us for the winter here in south Florida. I have heard them “sing” locally only a couple of times, and recorded them on two occasions. It was more of a gentle rattling of windswept reeds as compared to the energetic rhapsody of the spring songs I have heard from them NE Illinois, a sort of “whisper song.” BTW, we pump our lawn irrigation water from the lake in our back yard. Any money we saved by not paying for the city water has been lost to repair damage from the silt and debris which burns out our pumps and clogs the sprinklers, not to mention the need to replace the intake and float system caused by a careless boater (all accomplished by paid labor so maybe I spared my back).
In my experience here’s just no way to win or come out ahead when it comes to irrigation/sprinkler systems, Kenneth. As I often say regarding sprinkler systems – can’t live with’em or without’em if you have a lawn. In some ways I wish there was a practical way to get rid of mine.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a marsh wren so I’ll have to toddle on over to the Cornell site in the interests of learning new things 😉 But what a little cutie! Personally, I really admire sheer stubbornness, especially when it comes to courting. That’s certainly what it would take for me. LOL!!
As for the computer, yeah, no! They’re evil beings! I’ve never had to deal with a sprinkling system, but I’ve heard that’s another thing I don’t want to do, but then, I’m not a big fan of lawns, either. All I’ve got is a yard full of thigh-high weeds now! DARGH!
Sorry you had a double whammy yesterday. I can feel the back pain from here!
Thanks for the empathy and sympathy, Laura. It was a tough day and there may be another one like it today so I guess I just like to bitch…
Great shot of the wren. Looking forward to getting one on our pond.
My sympathies for your lawn looking like a Pocket Gopher take over as a 30 year result of a sprinkler guy; and your computer problems. Ron, at least it is keeping you busy and frustrated. That is better than some sitting at home and bored to tears.
We just finished our fourth day of below freezing temperatures in the early AM. Even though it is warming up fast it is tough on plants that are leafing and flowering. Normally we have seen a butterfly by this date, not so this year! This is becoming a tough year in many ways. Many thanks for sharing and stay safe!!
“That is better than some sitting at home and bored to tears”
I dunno, Dick. I’d say it’s a tossup… 🙂
Hubby found out the odd way our sprinkler system was laid out by severing a pipe while trying to split a Hosta. We haven’t been able to figure out how that pipe was connected and gave up looking when we realized we’d have to dig up our entire yard. The good news is that our water bill is lower. Of course, there is no longer a lawn.
Our friendly (but not too bright) House Finch came back last evening to beat up on his reflection again. I was worried as he hadn’t been by for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, he’s been spending his time helping with family chores. 🙂
“The good news is that our water bill is lower”
That’s one of the results I’m hoping for with this sprinkler project, Marty. That plus watering less cement. As much as I water that stuff it just never, ever grows for some reason.
Congrats on the return of your finch. Hope his reflection survives his aggression…
It took me two years to figure out that I was hearing the song of a house wren (lovely, that) but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard a marsh wren. It seems odd, because the maps show them as a year-round resident here, and I spend plenty of time around marshes. Maybe I’ve confused it with something else; I’ll have to listen more carefully the next time I’m around a marsh.
I could cope with the sprinkler system, but that hard drive? I quiver at the thought. I hope all resolves quickly and doesn’t leave your back or your spirit bent out of shape!
Shoreacres, like the sprinkler system my hard drive issue is still unresolved. I hate stuff like that hanging over my head. It’s typical of me to let things like that interfere with my sleep and to make it potentially worse I’m on a course of prednisone that also tends to seriously disrupt my sleep. But last night I slept like a baby. Go figure…
Love these little guys! The way they will straddle two different reeds and sing…too cute. Their constant noise coming from deep down in the tangles of the marsh always makes me stop and wait…eventually their curiosity does get the best and they have to peek out. They tend to remind me of those little helicopters that come sneaking up and zooms to an other spot. But they do not make nice neighbors I’ve read…I guess that perky song and up-tilted tail fits their aggressiveness.
Kathy, I can see why their song might get on one’s nerves if you’re hearing it up close all day. But hell, I could say the same thing about my very favorite (human) songs.
Laughing tho KNOW it isn’t funny! 😉 PVC pipe IS hard to find once buried – hopefully a simpler “system” (and map for future reference” can be had! Never seen/heard a Marsh Wren. The description of their song sounds a lot like the Red Winged Black Birds here ……… 😉 Definitely a Wren tho and he’s having at it!
Joe is Dyslexic and, unfortunately, didn’t know that until we got together 30 some years ago and I figured it out in short order…… 🙁 Just been told/thought he was “stupid” or not trying – HA! Also VERY sad to go through most of your life that way…….
“PVC pipe IS hard to find once buried”
Damned right it is, Judy! Especially since that stuff is capable of bending so much and the guy who installed it must have put it to its bending limits.
It’s my understanding that dyslexia has absolutely zero effect on intelligence. And that’s been borne out with dyslexics I’ve known.
It doesn’t have any effect on intelligence but it sure interferes with reading and trying to take “tests”………
Just for entertainment sake, you should post a pic of your front lawn in it’s current state :).
BTW, love the Wren and I like their song very much personally.
Ha, whose entertainment, Rick? Certainly not mine. 🙂
Actually, it doesn’t look quite as bad right now as it really is. My lawn mowing guy may show up this morning so I’ve temporarily plugged some of the holes so he can mow it more easily.
Boy Murphy really knocked you out yesterday. Good luck getting everything back to normal Ron. Excellent photo of a very cute Wren. Wish we had them here. I have never heard their song.
Everett, yesterday I discovered that ol’ Murph has a twin brother and both of them were sitting on my shoulders for the entire day.