Thursday, February 03, 2011

Yes, Brown Creeper Photos!

Since Monday I have not been well. My body has not been able to regulate temperatures well, either cold and can't get warm or I break out in a sweat. Then there are the body aches and head aches.  Hoping today it'll be kicked. Yesterday I watched a Brown Creeper visit the suet many times on the big oak tree. It was 70 outside and I could have tried to get photos of the Brown Creeper, just could not find the energy.

Today I wanted to go to work until I broke out into a sweat, so I'm staying put. The creeper was lingering on the tree trunk below the suet, so I grabbed the camera and went out the door. It flew around the tree. I grabbed my coat and tried again, it let me take several flash photos this time! I was about as close as I can focus with my 400 mm f5.6 lens.
Here the Brown Creeper has its tail fanned out, you can see how stiff the tail feathers are. The tail feathers help it to walk up trees, just like woodpeckers.

Meg celebrated her birthday recently, now 107. Anyway I made her a bird feeder she could enjoy from her favorite chair in the living room.


This bird house is made entirely of cedar scraps I had left over from a big job I did. The odd support is attached to a deck railing post. The elongated hole is designed to lighten the load and cut back the wind load. I was thinking the birds might like it too.

This female Northern Cardinal seems to approve. Where did she get her nails done? This was taken from inside without flash.
The squirrels like the new bird feeder as well. They grab onto the support and slide back down it as I sanded it pretty smooth. They can just jump onto it if they like.

The first day the feeder was up it was visited by honey bees, 4-6 at a time, it was a warm day. I saw bees yesterday when it was warm as well. I looked this up and found that bees can emerge early and without any nectar sources they will seek secondary nectar sources which can be found in bird feed.

7 comments:

Carolyn ♥ said...

I'm recovering from the same malady. You do have some sweet little visitors outside your window to keep you entertained. Feel better soon!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Hooray for that great Brown Creeper letting you get some super shots. Sorry that you are not feeling well, flu perhaps? Take care!
Like the bird feeder you made for Meg...a spry 107? Good for her. Happy Birthday Meg.

Carol said...

Bravo! Randy! Great shot of the Brown Creeper! I hope you are feeling better by now. Beautiful female N. Cardinal photo too!

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

I love creepers, it's so fun to watch them walking up and down tree trunks. Your first photo is just perfect. I love the feeder too, especially what you did with the support. Very nice!

meemsnyc said...

Sorry you're not feeling well. That is a nice bird feeder that you made. Nice brown creeper photos too!

ShySongbird said...

Lovely to see the Treecreeper, I find them very difficult to photograph and I have never been lucky enough to see one in my garden.

The Cardinal photo is lovely too, she looks so comical and the squirrel looks cheeky :)

I do hope you feel better soon, look after yourself and take it easy.

John said...

Really nice photos of the Creeper. You make me wonder if I should be paying more attention in the woods. We're a little north of their winter range but you never know...