The Brown Creeper
Life constantly throws out surprises for us to catch – some larger than others, but surprises nonetheless. For a nature photographer these surprises can happen anywhere, anytime, and under any circumstance. The key for the photographer is to act on this surprise. It might work, it might not. But the effort is worth it either way.
One wintry day I was surprised by what was probing the bark of a white pine tree near my bird feeding station on the back deck. I wasn’t expecting to see it in my backyard. But there it was, a cryptic-colored brown creeper that eventually made its way to the suet feeder.
Famed ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent described the creeper in flight as a “little dry leaf blown by the wind.” The brown creeper could easily be mistaken for a piece of detached bark with wings. With its camouflaged mottled plumage and faint whisper call, the creeper is so easy to miss. But just like the determined diligence the creeper has when searching tree trunks for food, you must be as attentive in your search to see or hear one.
While exploring the local woodlands near home, I would encounter an occasional brown creeper amongst bands of titmice, nuthatches, and chickadees, but I never thought one would be at my feeders. But here it was.
My first observation of the creeper that day was only a split second and I figured my eyes were deceiving me: “That couldn’t have been a brown creeper! Or was it?”
I initially thought it must be a red-breasted nuthatch, but something was different this time. Its behavior was more skittish and quicker than the nuthatches frequenting my feeders. So, I decided to wait and see if this brown feathered mystery would reappear.
I set up my camera gear and waited. Within minutes the little brown bundle of avian delight landed back at the suet feeder. Brown creeper at the feeder!
My first attempt photographing the creeper was okay at best – it was snowing and getting dark as the day was ending. I decided to set up my gear again the next morning and wait to see if creeper would return.
As morning broke, I readied my camera gear and waited in the frigid cold. After twenty minutes passed, I heard its faint whistle chip tzzit, tzzit, tzzit. Glancing beyond the suet feeder on the white pine tree, I caught a glimpse of the creeper exploring a distant tree in a neighbor’s yard.
The creeper flew over to my tree, landing near its base and methodically worked its way up in a spiral route to the suet feeder.
Over the course of an hour, I photographed the creeper as it fed, then fly away and return within minutes to start the process all over again. A bucket list capture for my bird photography indeed. As Ralph Waldo Emerson advised, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
Brown Creeper (c) Jim Clark
Photography note: I used a Nikon D850 with a Nikkor 600 4E VR lens with a 1.4 extender on a WH-200 Gimbal Head attached to a very sturdy Gitzo 554 3XL tripod.
Brown Creeper Photography Hint: The brown creeper has a habit of starting at the base of a tree and ascending in a spiraling route up the trunk and out to the branches. If you see the creeper doing this, aim a little higher on the trunk and be ready to rapid fire the shutter as the critter scoots from behind the trunk and into your view.
Brown Creeper (c) Jim Clark
Brown Creeper (c) Jim Clark