Marsh Wren -- singing for all he's worth

Marsh Wren -- singing for all he's worth
Originally uploaded by Calypso Orchid

New camera lens -- a 150 - 500 mm. I've been out photographing birds, and this little fellow captured my heart. Here he is, staking out his territory in the bull rushes along the shore of Swan Lake. He flits to the top of the rush and starts belting out his song. At this juncture he is probably warning all other male Marsh Wrens not to come any where close or he'll be forced to do something drastic.

I love the boldly pushed out chest, the ruffled feathers, and the full throated cry. I spent several engrossing hours watching him patrol his territory. He returned to this rush about once every 15 minutes and sang for about 5. Then he would rotate on to another perch and repeat the same process.

I may have found this a lazy afternoon at Swan Lake, but not so for this Wren. He and his compatriots were deeply involved in a tightly choreographed ballet. While this fellow was moving thought his territory at regular intervals, the same thing, on the same interval, was happening with male Marsh Wrens all up and down the verge of Swan Lake.

Amazing what one can observe when one simply sits still and looks.

More images from Swan Lake, Victoria BC