Saw this a couple of weeks ago and assumed it was a weird looking Carolina Wren. Just realized that there is another wren with an eye stripe. Could this be a Bewick's Wren? I remember thinking that its breast wasn't as buffy as the Carolina Wrens that I was used to seeing.
I can only find 3 pics and none are very good. I think I had a good one of it on top of my shed, but I think I deleted it. I said to myself that I had 100s of pics of Carolina Wrens and that one wasn't very pretty anyway. If this turns out to be a Bewicks, I'm going to be pretty mad at myself!
This last one is mostly just a blur, but just in case it helps . . .
i think Bewick's has a white-tipped tail.
Yep, I read that they have white edges on their tail, but it didn't show in any of the pics that I looked at.
Also, I think I remember seeing white edges when it flew. I also believe that I thought it was a juvi b/c it had some weird calls and it was small and it was so bland looking. That was 2 weeks ago though. Most people can remember things from 2 weeks earlier, but for me, it's like it happened a year ago. I can't really trust my recollection. I do distinctly remember thinking that he looked weird.
Tricky one! Does look most like Bewick's despite the lack of white tail corners. Still, it's getting well on in the summer now, close to moulting time, so the feathers are at their most worn and heavily abraded (and certainly the rest of its feathers are!!); quite possible the white corners have worn off by now.
Resin
So I've been going nuts both looking for a missing memory card that might have another pic of it and searching the yard for wrens. Didn't find memory card but did discover that I have at least 3 wrens back there. 1 is a juvi with spots on its back. 2 fight each other whenever they see each other but must be pretty evenly matched b/c haven't chased one off yet.
Also while looking for wrens saw a hummer and 3 orchard orioles, so that was fun! Still haven't gotten a good tail pic to see if 1 of the wrens might be Bewicks. I think your idea that the corners may be worn off is spot on Resin. The bits of tail that I've gotten have been very worn looking.
Here's the only pic so far that might show a white tail corner. It was bathing on a leaf, so blurry.
I know House Wrens and Carolina Wrens will fight. They hate each other for some reason. Google it. I read it years ago
I really don't think this is a Carolina. The beak is off, it seems a bit large, and it just "feels" like it's something else.
That's exactly how I feel, but I showed my lousy pics to a friend who is a big birder in this area. He said that he didn't see anything to indicate that it was not a Carolina. I checked ebird and no Bewick's have been recorded this year in this county, so I'm being cautious, but it's driving me nuts!
OK, I've been photographing wrens like they are reincarnated dodo birds! This madness has got to stop. I've also been listening for wrens. I've learned that I have a ton of them out there. Rarely do any of them sing the songs described on various websites. Most are clearly Carolinas and some are juvi Carolinas which are dulller and confusing at first. One had what looked like a second stripe under his eye. I'm guessing that's a juvi feature.
Read about their tails. Dispositive my behind! OK, Bewicks is longer but if you're not holding one dead bird's tail up to the other one (which was disturbing by the way) I don't see how you could tell. Also, I learned that they can both have white on their tail. Bewicks just have more and both hide the white parts. This article said that if there is any black on the tail it's a Bewick's but then there are descriptions of Carolina's with black banding on the tail. Impossible.
My bird book says that they can be found here year-round, but National Geographic says only in the winter. I should give up, but I just have these weird looking wrens calling to me to take their pictures!
Best possibility so far today is this one...
Your latest shot looks like it could be a Marsh Wren.
Not enough rufous on the wing coverts and lower back for Marsh Wren (and they're only in TX in winter except for coastal marshes)
Resin
Here's a blurry pic of the same bird in case it's helpful.
I need to pay more attention to the migration maps in my field guide.
