{"id":45124,"date":"2017-02-20T06:24:17","date_gmt":"2017-02-20T13:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=45124"},"modified":"2026-10-23T10:30:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T15:30:26","slug":"listening-for-marsh-wren-songs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/20\/listening-for-marsh-wren-songs\/","title":{"rendered":"Listening for Western Marsh-Wren Songs – Sounds of Early Spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FarmingtonFarmington Bay Western Marsh-Wren – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/500, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

We have Marsh Wrens year round in Utah but after the breeding season is over the males are far less vocal, more secretive and they are much harder to find. About this time of the year the male Marsh Wrens begin to become more territorial and start to sing again. Only the male Marsh Wrens sing.<\/p>\n

I have seen a few Western Marsh-Wrens at Farmington Bay WMA<\/span><\/a> and I am sure I would see some at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> too if I could get to the auto tour loop. Right now the road to the auto tour loop is closed due to high water from rains and melting snow which has caused the Bear River to flood the road out to the loop.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Marsh-Wren on cattail leaf – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

We have had unusually warm weather this February here in northern Utah and although there is heavy snow up in the Wasatch Mountains there are signs of spring down in the valley. I have already noticed the grasses greening up in some locations and many of the ponds and waterways are not ice free.<\/p>\n

I will be listening for the male Western Marsh-Wrens songs at the pond nearby and the marshes at Farmington Bay WMA and Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I’ll also be waiting to see them pop up on top of the cattails, phrags, and rushes.<\/p>\n

Singing Marsh Wren<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Marsh-Wren on a November morning – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m sure it won’t be long before I hear the first Western Marsh-Wren songs of the year and I’m looking forward to them, I am also very much looking forward to the wrens being more visible which will make them easier to photograph too.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Western Marsh-Wren photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

Update<\/strong>: Marsh wrens were split in October 2026 to Eastern and Western Marsh-Wrens. This post has been updated to reflect that change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I will be listening for the male Western Marsh-Wren songs at the pond nearby and the marshes at Farmington Bay WMA and Bear River MBR and waiting to see them pop up on top of the cattails, phrags and rushes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":116061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,1022,697,26,538],"tags":[4004,4366,17605,5680,5679,4094,4378,4104,17606,5802,3822],"class_list":["post-45124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","category-marsh-wrens","tag-adult","tag-cattails","tag-cistothorus-paludicola","tag-early-winter","tag-leaf","tag-marsh","tag-morning","tag-perched","tag-western-marsh-wren","tag-wren","tag-wrens"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t