Marsh Wrens at High Tide

When the tides get really high, one of the interesting places to check for bird subjects is the small "peninsula trail", at Rios. The Solana Beach side of the Lagoon. When the tide is almost +6 ft., this trail is just a dozen inches above the water level...

Walking down towards the peninsula trail on Rios the whole lagoon is almost underwater. I spot a Great Egret flying by.

Oh... there is another Great Egret and he is in hot pursuit of the one that just flew by

   

What a sight to see. Two Great Egrets in a territorial dispute that plays out in slow motion...

The tide is almost at its peak and if I am going to spot the Marsh Wrens, this is the best time for spotting one. These Wrens are skittish and most of the time they hide in the reeds, the pickleweeds, and other marsh vegetation growing in the lagoon. As the incoming tide reaches its maximum height, they are forced to the surface and can be spotted when they move around staying out of the water. A few of them have found a dead branch of a nearby bush as a good place to observe for birds of prey and intruders. Here is one now on the little snag... and he's a little wet on the bottom...

He spots me as my camera clicks and disappears into the pickleweeds...

I just stand still and quiet and get rewarded with one flying back onto the small dead branch again... a fidgety bird that is always on the move. I take a shot and in an instant he is gone.

Another appearance and this time I get the classic raised tail shot...

Marsh Wren... "Cistothorus palustris", measures 5 inches long with a wing span of 6 inches...

They spend most of their time on the marsh floor or just above the waterline foraging for food. They mainly eat small insects and spiders gleaning the underside of leaves from marsh vegetation and may also forage for insects that are on the water surface.

Interesting facts about these birds are that the males will destroy eggs and nestlings that are in neighboring nests. They have been observed destroying their own eggs and killing nestlings if the female has gone missing/killed. This behavior is thought to be to reduce

the competition for food supply in his territory.

 A top view

Always on the look-out for predators... I get one last shot of this skittish bird as he dives for cover in the nearby vegetation.  All Marsh Wren activity comes to a halt... something has frightened them to seek shelter.

I look to my left and there is the reason why the Marsh Wrens have made a quick exit from the open area of the dead shrub...

A raptor is sitting on a small snag about 25 ft away... He has flown in from behind me as I was busy shooting the Marsh Wrens. It is the American Kestrel... the smallest of the falcons.

Marsh Wren would be a prized meal for this American Kestrel. The Kestrel is using the high tide to his advantage to prey on birds that may be hard to spot when the tide is low such as the Marsh Wrens...

A Clapper Rail is "reed hopping". The Rail flies straight up... clear of the reeds for a clear view of the area. He may be checking for predatory birds that may be hunting in the reeds, or maybe it is to check for intruders in his territory. But this maneuver may attract a bird of prey that may be circling the sky. I have already spotted a Northern Harrier with prey but she is too far east and hidden in the pickleweeds for me to see the identity of her prey.

I spot a Great Egret and a Clapper Rail at the east end of a tiny island. One of the only dry pieces of land in the lagoon besides the one that the Northern Harrier is occupying with her prey.

Look who is on the west end of the tiny island... it's the Great Blue Heron, aka the Clapper Killer! The Clapper Rail has run under the clump of pickleweed that is directly in front of the GBH and the heron is aware of the Rail's presence. Will he get the prey? I will never know because I have a doctor's appointment so I reluctantly turn away from this drama and head for home...

Have a relaxing Sunday everyone...