We have had a pair of Winter Wrens in our woods all the Fall and while they don’t sing the way they do in the spring, they chip away at the dog and me on nearly every walk. I know just where they hang out — in a brushy area with some old apple trees — and I can hear one of them before we approach. Because they are low to the ground, the dog too often gets interested.

So, I have been on a quest to get a photo or two of these cute little balls of energy. Sometimes I don’t have my camera, other times it is too dark, but too frequently, the guys just move too fast in the brush, popping up for clear looks once in a while. I got lucky the other day.

Here’s how we normally see our Winter Wrens, visible but surrounded by brush and branches.

But this guy just popped up for a “What are you doing?” pose. 1/250 f/6.5 215 mm

I just love these birds — feisty, inquisitive, and a beautiful singer. Glad we have a good habitat for them — and I look forward to their springtime calls that seem to go on forever. Have a good winter, buddy.