Can you spot the bird in this photo? Its white underparts help to give away its position, but otherwise the Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) is pretty well camouflaged. I rarely see these little birds (about 5 inches (13 cm) long) because they blend in so well and are constantly in motion, poking and probing as they spiral their way to the top of the trees.
I really like the way that the Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes these small birds—”Brown Creepers are tiny woodland birds with an affinity for the biggest trees they can find. Look for these little, long-tailed scraps of brown and white spiraling up stout trunks and main branches, sometimes passing downward-facing nuthatches along the way. They probe into crevices and pick at loose bark with their slender, downcurved bills, and build their hammock-shaped nests behind peeling flakes of bark. Their piercing calls can make it much easier to find this hard-to-see but common species.”
I spotted the Brown Creeper this past Tuesday at Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge early in the morning when the light had a golden tinge that made everything look particularly beautiful. I tried to track the bird as it made its way up the tree and took quite a few photos. This is one of the few in which I got a relatively clear view of the entire bird, including its stiff tail that it uses for support.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Nice. Ike! It does blend in to the background!
Sorry Mike! I was replying on my iPad! Did not notice the missing “M”!
Not a problem, Reed. I am a big fan of Mike and Ike candy. 🙂
He really is hard to see.
Well camouflaged but despite that I noticed him immediately 🙂
(I feel lucky now, it seems that I still have sharp eyes – LOL)
When I do a posting like this, I’ve noticed that it’s a bit harder for folks that view the photos on small devices. Some people also have sharper eyes than other when it comes to spotting wild creatures. When there is movement to notice, it gets somewhat easier.
This shots a ‘wow’ 👏👏👏
I’m in full agreement with Ted. Everything has come together so perfectly in this absolutely wondrous photo!!! You should be proud of this one!
Thanks, Liz. I am really happy at how it came together. In so many of my shots the bird was out of focus or hidden by the branches. When first saw the shot on my computer I was thrilled I had managed to get the kind of shot I had imagined in my head.
VERY well done! So nice and natural. I can easily imagine how difficult it would be to get a shot like this!
Wow! That bird really does blend in well! What a great shot, cute bird!
Wow, very well camouflaged! Nicely spotted, Mike!
Thanks, Chris. Best wishes for a wonderful new year.
That’s a great shot!
Thanks, Louella. It was definitely cool to get a clear shot of this hyperactive little bird. 🙂
One of my favorites. I love Brown Creepers.
Thanks, Sherry. I am always excited when I manage to spot one, though I often walk away without a photo. 🙂
What a great spot – and shot – of this well-camouflaged Creeper, Mike. When I see a tree creeper of some kind like this, I always think of an experience my son had once – he rescued a nearly dead, stunned bird at the base of a high rise in downtown Chicago. When he brought it to the experts, the bird kept creeping up my son’s pant leg – as if to thank him for trying to rescue him.
Ha! Wonder who does his laundry to keep those undies so tidy?!?
In general, it seems like most birds pay attention to their appearance and their hygiene, spending a good amount of time on cleaning and preening.