Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Creeper

Brown Creepers are so difficult to photograph - they are tiny, very well camouflaged for climbing tree trunks, and they never stop moving, LOL! I quickly snapped this one on our 109th annual Audubon Bird Count in the Snakeshead area, NW of Calgary recently. I had spent too much time photographing a Downy Woodpecker on someone's feeder and then suddenly noticed this Creeper. I turned round to call to the three friends I was with, but no one was there. I was worried that they must all be waiting for me in the car, which was the other side of the farm house. I knew I'd better get photographic "proof" of this bird as it was the first one on this count. Sorry, Tony - I was in such a hurry that it never occurred to me that you could add this bird to your new Winter List - sorry you missed it, but hope you've seen one elsewhere since then : ) Oh, forgot to add that I've posted this photo, despite it being somewhat blurry and I didn't capture that long, curved beak, but I so rarely get photos of this species. At least it gives an idea of the beautiful feather pattern. These birds are uncommon year round in Alberta.

To quote the first sentence in the "Birds of Alberta" book by Fisher and Acorn: "Creepers are downright hard to find". Intent on its feeding, the creeper spirals up large tree trunks, myopically plucking hidden invertebrate morsels from bark fissures with its tweezer-like bill. When it reaches the upper branches, the creeper takes a short flight down to the base of a neighbouring tree to begin another ascent. When Brown Creepers are frightened, they freeze and flatten against tree trunks, becoming even harder to see." Uncommon year-round in Alberta. Saw this one (and two others) at Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park, this afternoon. Very difficult birds to photograph, as they move so quickly! When I do see them, they are usually climbing up a tree, not feeding on the ground. Wish I could get one in sunlight - they are always deep in the grove of trees, so light is poor and hence not a good image : ). Camouflage for these small birds is amazing when they are against the tree bark.