While looking at a common yellowthroat forage at the edge of the Wetlands yesterday, I saw another bird of about equal size and shape rapidly move at the yellowthroat just as it snatched a spider from a rush stem. It was a marsh wren, the first I’d seen in our Wetlands, a new species to add to the 130 some species so far seen by me here at the Museum. Marsh wren becomes species number 133 on the list.

Marsh wrens are not rare in North Carolina. They nest in both fresh and brackish marshes, but to my knowledge, they don’t nest locally and are more common towards the coast. Your best chances of seeing one locally is during migration. The problem is, they’re quite unobstrusive and easily overlooked. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Other wrens seen here at the Museum are Carolina wren (year round), House wren (spring/summer/fall), and winter wren (fall/winter).

Keep your eyes open, you never know what’s going to show up.