A Surprising Discovery

Almost a month ago while birding at Eel Lake on the Oregon Coast I heard a distinct bird call that has haunted me daily.  I was not able to see the bird that day and despite hearing the song at different locations several times since, I have not been able to get a sighting and make an identification.  Today, in a split second it all changed.  Jeanette and I were birding at Honeyman State Park and we had located a small bird deep in the rhododendrons.  I had made a tentative identification of a Wrentit, and we were searching our guide books for confirmation, when Jeanette asked to try out their song on my iPod.  For a second I thought I was hearing another bird, and then I realized the sound was coming from my iPod and it was the mysterious song I had been seeking and moreover it belonged to a Wrentit! It all makes sense as the Wrentit is a tough bird to spot, it stays for the most part, buried deep in thick shrubbery. This photo is the only one I got for the day, but it made the whole trip worthwhile.