This Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
was at "the Willows" - a tiny pond with a few shrubs and reeds amid coastal dunes and developments on Mustang Island, Nueces county, TX on October 14, 2011. This species is extremely rare on Mustang Island, and this individual is presumed to be a migrant (other obvious migrants such as Brown Thrasher were at the same spot that morning) - but what subspecies is it? The rich brown upperparts and whitish underparts identify it as part of the "Eastern Bewick's Wren" group - likely nominate bewickii - that is in serious decline. Mid-October is within the traditional arrival window on the upper Texas coast for this form, which occurs as a summer visitor as far west as easternmost Nebraska:
