Brown Creeper
Several years ago, I think in the '90's, I saw one Brown Creeper ( Certhia americana) in my yard. I have never seen another one since. This morning, I was hiking along the dike at Wiley Slough over on Fir Island. I was taking a brand new Canon 7D camera out for the first time. I spotted this little fellow scooting around the side of a Red Alder right next to the trail. He was very fast and kept moving away, but I managed to get this one quick shot. The fast response of the 7D was a big help. Brown Creepers are permanent residents in Washington. According to BirdWeb , there are two subspecies, separated by the Cascade Mountain Range. These are small, woodland birds that feed on insects, spiders, their eggs and pupae they find in bark crevices. A thin, curved bill is the perfect tool for this diet. They will hunt in a spiral pattern around the trunk. I can vouch for the acrobatic abilities of this little bird. ...