Musical Mouse

Yesterday, while leading a tour of the preserve, I heard an unfamiliar bird song. Unable to find the origin of this beautiful tinkling sound, I continued on with the walk. Later that day, after listening to some recordings, I was not surprised to find that it was the Winter Wren, a very small, mouse-like visitor to our area in the coolest third of the year. Racing in and out of brush and debris on the forest floor, it is usually only seen for a second or two. I considered it a rare treat to hear its song in the midst of these dreary, wet November days.