Sighting Record for Utah

Common name:	Winter Wren
Scientific name:	Troglodytes hiemalis
Date:	29 December 2013
Time:	9:30 am
Length of time observed:	20 minutes
Number:	1
Age:
Sex:
Location:	Provo River Oxbow, Provo
County:	Utah
Latilong:
Elevation:	4500 ft
Distance to bird:	20-40 feet
Optical equipment:	8x42 binoculars. Canon Camera
Weather:	hazy, cold
Light Conditions:	okay
Description: Size of bird:	Small
(Description:) Basic Shape:	Wren shaped
(Description:) Overall Pattern:	brown
(Description:) Bill Type:	thin, long, pointy
(Description:) Field Marks and Identifying Characteristics:	Small wren with thin pointy bill. Brown all over, with a pale eyebrow. Throat, sides of face and chest were a paler brown than the body. Belly and undertail darker, dark streaks on the flanks. Short tail cocked up. See photos.
Song or call & method of delivery:	I heard it calling before I saw it and thought it sounded like a Winter Wren. It made a double call note "Jit-Jit" Sounding similar to a Song Sparrow in quality. See recording. It also made a fast staccato scolding call. I made a recording of the bird calling and I made a spectrogram of some call notes from that recording. I've submitted the spectrogram with this record. I compared the spectrogram with the ones shown at http://earbirding.com/blog/archives/774
Behavior:	Skulking low in the thick brush, close to the ground. It would disappear deep in the brush then pop up, call and scold for a minute, then disappear again.
Habitat:	Thick brushy habitat at along a frozen swampy oxbow of the Provo River.
Similar species and how were they eliminated:	Most Pacific Wrens would show a warmer, more solid brown color on the throat and chest. A Pacific Wren would have a drier, harder, sharper call note. I made a spectrogram of the call and compared it to an example spec of both Pacific and Winter.
Previous experience with this & similar species:	I have seen and heard several Pacific Wrens. I submitted a record of a Winter Wren earlier this year.
References consulted:	Sibley Guide. www.xeno-canto.org/ - sound recordings
Description from:	Notes made later
Observer:	Eric Huish
Observer's address:	850 E 100 N Pleasant Grove, UT
Observer's e-mail address:	**
Other observers who independently identified this bird:	Jack Binch also saw it today
Date prepared:	December 29, 2013
Additional material:	Photos, Tape, [spectrogram]
Additional_Comments:	The bird looked like it was missing feathers on its left wing, Maybe injured? eBird list with additional info - http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S16115878