"Cave-dweller"

Okay, I'll admit it — after a long day of traveling back from southern California, I feel a little bit like crawling into a dark cave and sleeping for while.  So tonight I'll leave you with another "cave-dweller."

 

This is a House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), photographed on Bodega Head on 5 October 2013.  The genus, Troglodytes, is sometimes translated as "cave-dweller."  The "cave" portion of the name likely refers to either the nest cavity or the dense vegetation or dark crevices that the birds favor.  [The species name, aedon, means "nightingale" and is a tribute to their complex song.]

 

 

Although more common elsewhere in Sonoma County, House Wrens are considered rare migrants and winter residents on Bodega Head.