Wednesday, April 3, 2019,

This is a Brown Creeper. It’s the first Brown Creeper that I’ve ever seen, let alone photographed. I spotted this bird while I was walking through David Weld Sanctuary in Nissequogue. I suspected that it might be a Creeper and after getting home and comparing this bird to the drawings in my Sibley’s Field Guide, I was pretty sure I was right. However, I very rarely trust myself or my guesses, so I sent this photo to a birding friend of mine and she confirmed my sighting.

She also told me that “They can be a bit tricky to see as they creep around the trunks to the opposite side of the tree.” Ain’t that the truth. This bird was working tree trunks from the bottom up but he usually managed to stay on the far side of the tree without actually seeming aware of my presence. What I mean is, he appeared to be busy looking for insects rather than fleeing my camera. This photograph captures one of the few times I got to see the whole bird, rather than a partial glimpse. I definitely got lucky here. JK