269 : Wren

Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes

Often known as the smallest bird with the longest latin name - and certainly the loudest voice ! Male Wren's live in a daily competition for territory.  A war that ends with defeat and possibly death or victory and the opportunity to pass genes on to the next tiny generation. These are the UK's most abundant bird species with probably several million pairs carpeting the islands. So mark out a circle of perhaps 20 or 30 m in diameter in your garden and your likely to have a wren territory - adjust its shape to fit the reality and like a jigsaw piece attach the next territory and so on - covering Europe - millions upon millions of pairs. Somewhere there must be a few lucky wren's not constantly on border patrol, singing loudly and fitfully to ward off would be suitors to their mates. Perhaps they live in perfect isolation - a small island in a river !

I took this picture of a male bird holding territory at Loggerheads Country Park near Wrexham. The male was singing from a typical vantage point at about my waste height. He must be a ventriloquist as he was able to keep up his aggressive song while clasping this small caterpillar in his beak to demonstrate his prowess as a "gourmand" and provider - these soft small caterpillars presumably bing ideal food for chicks.

So a tiny skulking bird with a colossal presence eeking out a living on grubs, insects, skulking down low in every small patch of vegetation that provides an opportunity.

I am in the UK for 2 weeks now catching up with my family and family in general at the mid-point of of the Summer. I am off to Anglesey today so I'll see what I can pick up there.

Having left Dubai behind me for two weeks all I can say is that the world is green !!

Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes 
Loggerheads Country Park near Wrexham North Wales
7 July 2013