Pic of the Day

  

 Marsh Wren, Cistothorus palustris: Benton Lake NWR; Great Falls, Montana

 This Marsh Wren was building a nest in a reed bed right along the wildlife drive.  I used my van as a blind and parked about a dozen feet from the nest.  The wren was busy flying to cattail stalks to gather the downy fibers to line its nest.  After taking the fiber into the nest, the wren would then ascend to a reed top and sing his territorial call.  He was still working an hour later after I left.  This is just one of the hundreds of images I took.  In this shot the wren is gathering fiber from the cattail only ten feet away.  The Stalk was almost full when he started.  He came to this stalk about a dozen times while I was there.  These vociferous little birds are among my favorite in the marsh. 

Nikon D800, Nikkor 500mm f4, 1/2000 @ f7.1, Window Mount used on van window