During the past week, a sedge wren has been observed in South Platte Park, reportedly the first ever seen in Arapahoe County, Colorado. Small, noisy and reclusive, this wren is difficult to find, even across its traditional range.
Sedge wrens breed through the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes Region and adjacent portions of Southern Canada; they winter in marshes and wet prairies of the Coastal Plain, from the Carolinas to Texas and Mexico. More often heard than seen, this tiny bird generally remains hidden in dense vegetation.
Needless to say, the visitor in Littleton is a bit off the beaten path for sedge wrens. One can imagine that it traveled westward along the Platte River and then southwestward along the South Platte, perhaps encouraged by the mild autumn and early winter weather. More than welcomed by local birders, it is the latest example of rare and unexpected sightings that fuel the enthusiasm of birding communities.
