Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis), Thumb Rock Cove, Pena Blanca Lake, Santa Cruz County

This Sedge Wren was discovered and photographed by Alan Schmierer on 27 November 2010 and was photographed again by Andrew Core on 02 December 2010 and by Gary Rosenberg on 26 January 2011. 

Alan describes his discovery:

"Just after 7:00AM this morning I discovered a Sedge Wren at Pena Blanca. It was on the south shore of the Thumb Rock cove. If you were to park in the Lower Thumb Rock parking area and follow the south shore path there are wide spots in the path, one of which has orange peals on the pavement. The bird was 5 feet up in a tree between the orange-peal wide spot and the next one east. [Note: this is close to the middle stairs down from Upper Thumb Rock parking area where it was apparently re-found this afternoon.] It was calling a double note much like a Winter Wren, but softer and mellower. It then flew directly across the cove into the grass, not to be found again I left there at about noon."

Potential first state record if accepted.  Monson and Phillips (1981) included it on their hypothetical list based on a report of three or four at the Arizona portion of the San Simon Cienega on 10 December 1979 but no further details are provided. 

Only North American Wren with the combination of a streaked back, streaked crown and barred wings. 

27 November 2010, photo by Alan Schmierer

 

02 December 2010, photos by Andrew Core

26 January 2011, photos by Gary Rosenberg

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer