Gavin
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GavinParticipantFor my subject, I chose the Marsh Wren, knowing it would be tricky to see but enjoying the idea that it would be a fun challenge. So this morning, I got up (very) early and drove to Île Saint-Bernard, an island on the river southwest of where I live in Montreal, Canada. There's a wildlife refuge there with a large marsh, and I had heard Marsh Wrens singing there earlier this spring. And sure enough, there were at least a half dozen of them in full song in the bullrushes along the main path that leads across the centre of the marsh. Of course, just because you can hear them doesn't mean you can see them - let alone photograph them. But wrens (I've seen the same behaviour with House and Winter Wrens) are curious. And if you stand still, they will sometimes work their way towards you to check you out, furtively moving through the undergrowth, moving with sometimes surprising speed, then popping out unexpectedly before disappearing just as quickly. I had one encounter exactly like this, but the shots I got weren't great. Then, on the way back, I saw a wren fly up and literally burst into song in mid-air, his small body contorting so hard that he seemed to hover momentarily. Figuring this was the extravert I was looking for, I stepped just off the path and leaned into the high marsh grass. A minute or so later, out popped the wren agin, even being so kind as to adopt the classic pose, legs splayed like a miniature marsh yogi. After singing for about 30 seconds, he dropped back out of sight and I quietly moved on, happy that I did not appear to have disturbed hm.in reply to: Practice Understanding Birds for Better Photos #719730
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