They call me the Creeper

Posted on by Brian Scott

I’ve just come to realise that there is a set of birds out there that only appear in the garden as the weather begins to decline, maybe not decline, the temperature drops perhaps.

I’ve spotted a (the) Mistle Thrush a couple of times now, a pair of Brambling dropped in on Sunday & Monday and a Treecreeper is visiting the tree outside now every morning and evening, perhaps in between too but I don’t sit here all day you know! 😉 Mostly 🙂

I look forward to these Autumn / Winter garden visitors every year now, they often give me opportunities for closer shots than I’d get in the wild.

The Brambling, above, will probably drop by now and again and most often appear when it’s snowing. The Mistle Thrush became a regular last year so I’ll wait and see and the Treecreeper was the same, exploring the trunks of the tree outside the window.

Treecreepers are such quiet, unobtrusive birds, working their way up and down tree trunks in their perfect camouflage that a lot of people never see them. They quite often turn up at the feeding post and sometimes jump onto it, see what all the fuss is about 🙂

They seem to be pretty solitary birds and don’t like all the other birds around the feeders, they sometimes freeze in place for a short while before moving on.

Success! It actually seemed to find loads during this session.

I’ve also noticed they shut their eyes when they are really getting into the crevices.

I don’t remember seeing one this morning, it’s a really dreich day here, so far, wet, misty rain so far but, I see a glimmer of the sky beyond now, soon be walk time.

This last pair of shots shows their camouflaged feathering perfectly but as they climb up and down foraging, it’s the white that gives them away.

Keep an eye out for them if they feed in your area.

P.S. – The title refers to the song The Seeker by the Who, not any personal foibles 🙂

12 thoughts on “They call me the Creeper”

  5. These photos are breathtaking. I don’t think we get these types of birds in the city. It is mainly pigeons and A LOT of crows. I love seeing the crows, but every time I try to get a picture of the crows, they tend to notice me and fly away. They are very perceptive and smart birds.

    What camera are you using? I have a Canon 6D Mark II but I am absolutely no good at using my camera as I would like to be. So I am figuring out how to improve on that.

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    1. Thank you very much Traci Lee. This bird was just outside my window so made it easier for me 😉
      Getting better with your camera is just lots of practice, in my mind. I started on plants and flowers, getting the focus right first, looking for good light, background. Birds are not the easiest.
      I’m a Nikon guy 😄 I shoot in Manual now and usually high ISO to give me faster speed.
      To me focus and light are important and not overdoing the editing 👍

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