MarkyMark's Nature Blog: MarkyMark's Nature Blog:- Treecreeper #11

Tree Creeper Photo - by Mark Appleton

I am lucky enough to live near a woods and take my daily allocated exercise walk there, always with my camera, just in case something pops up. Last week, on several occasions I got to see a Treecreeper. I have to admit this was more by luck than judgement.

Treecreeper -Photo by Mark Appleton

The Treecreeper is small (tit-sized), mottled brown above and white below, has a flared pale eye stripe over a thin down curved bill and a stiff straight tail that is used as support. The Tree creeper is a woodland bird, rarely seen away from trees and branches and is widely distributed across the country. They are one of the few birds which are very comfortable in coniferous woodland as the soft bark is just right for probing with their slender bills. Notice it has strong toes for gripping the tree bark.

The Treecreeper is aptly named and a tiny mouse like bird that never keeps still, so is another one of those birds that I find hard to photograph. Not all of these photographs are from last week, some have been taken on other occasions at different places.

Treecreeper - Photo by Mark Appleton

I usually get to spot one by catching movement out the corner of my eye and then scanning the tree trunks, also once you have your ear tuned into their song it gives a general direction of where to start scanning. For their call and song click here Treecreeper song

Treecreeper camouflaged -Photo by Mark Appleton

As you can see here, with its white belly against the tree, it is well camouflaged. Once spotted, the tiny Treecreeper is a pleasure to watch as they spiral upwards around the vertical tree trunks with a habit of dropping down to a nearby tree trunk to start spiralling up again.

Treecreeper - Photo by Mark Appleton

It takes insects and spiders from the bark, probing with its bill, while shuffling up trees. Unlike Nuthatches, Treecreepers (or woodpeckers) never go headfirst down a trunk.

Treecreeper - Photo by Mark Appleton

The lifespan of a Treecreeper is approximately 2 years.

Treecreeper - Photo by Mark Appleton

Treecreeper in local woods - Photo by Mark Appleton

It is the male that selects potential nest sites, but it is the female who builds the nest behind loose bark or in ivy and lays its eggs between April and June. It normally has just one brood. The nest itself is an untidy collection of twigs, pine needles, moss and small pieces of wood, lined with feathers, hair and even spider's webs. The female incubates five or six white eggs with fine red spotting. Both sexes feed the young, which leave the nest between 14 and 21 days after hatching. They remain dependent on their parents for another 11 to 17 days.

A Treecreeper can usually be identified once spotted, even in silhouette.