Here’s a few additional reasons for few reports of Sedge Wrens: 5) If you wade through Sedge Wren habitat of tall grass & forbs you risk tick bites leading to nasty long-term diseases. 6) It’s hard to see small brown birds in tall grass and forbs. They hide or fly away. Thin stems may not support them easily in view even if the birds do choose to show themselves. 7) Sedge Wrens often show up in summer, when the weather is uncomfortably hot, especially in fields, and birders are less tempted to go there, while birders may not be thinking about birds starting breeding. 8) Sedge Wrens’ song is unmusical, and at a distance it could blend in with insect noises, even though the pattern of 2 clicks then a rattle is distinctive and easy to learn. 9) In our moist climate Sedge Wrens’ prairie-like habitat typically gets taken over by shrubs & trees unless it is maintained by mowing. Mowing is typically done for hay, which is most profitably cut too often for grassland birds to breed. Between East Road and Montezuma NWR’s Knox-Marsellus Marsh, a Sedge Wren was heard singing in the tall field a few years ago. Refuge personnel were told of its presence, yet the field was mowed a couple days later. Maybe the refuge did not control this field, or maybe they did not consider that the bird was attempting to breed and therefore a portion should be left standing. But at the Montezuma Audubon Center this year, there was already a mowed path through the field allowing observers to easily get close enough to hear the wrens without smashing through the plants or risking tick bites. The wrens were observed and allowed to breed without MAC personnel taking additional action. The refuge may have lands not accessible to the public which can be monitored and managed for this NYSDEC Threatened Species, and similarly DEC lands may be more easily monitored by the public.
Agreed, learn their song, and if you have access to their habitat, listen for it, even in summer. - - Dave Nutter > On Sep 21, 2023, at 1:45 PM, Randolph Little <r...@att.net> wrote: > > As the south pole prepares to greet the sun and many of "our" birds are > heading in that direction, I am again thinking of the August Sedge Wren > report from Montezuma. Why so few reports? Here are my thoughts: > 1) Sedge Wren habitat of tall grass is infrequently birded, perhaps because > it seldom offers many birds to be found. > 2) Sedge Wrens skulk in their habitat and are seldom where they can be seen. > 3) Sedge Wrens are ephemeral breeders and do not spend much time advertising > their presence. > 4) Sedge Wrens, like most wrens, seem to melt into the habitat upon fledging, > and are not often discovered. > > Your list may contain other reasons, but I submit that by far the best way to > discover Sedge Wrens is to become familiar with their vocalizations and then > visit appropriate habitats throughout the summer and at hours that you might > not normally bird. > > Yes, this is an unabashed plug for birding by ear. > > Good birding, > Randy > > -- > > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES > http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm > > ARCHIVES: > 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html > 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds > 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html > > Please submit your observations to eBird: > http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ > > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
