The treecreeper is a wren-sized bird that thrives in broadleaved woodland.

Despite being a common species, it is incredibly difficult to spot. Its mottled brown plumage with black accents and white underparts provides great camouflage as the bird scuttles up branches.

I cannot tell you how many times I have mistaken a treecreeper for tree bark!

The treecreeper owes its name to the fascinating ability to creep up trees. Its slim body, long downwards-curved beak and toes are fully adapted to climbing. Even the long tail with stiff feathers has a role to play – the bird uses it as an additional limb for clinging to the bark!

Unlike nuthatches, the treecreeper cannot walk back down headfirst and so they usually start their climb at the bottom of a tree and slowly spiral their way up.

Once they have reached the top of the tree, they will then fly back down to start again at the base of another trunk and repeat their journey. Whilst doing so, the treecreepers explore the crevices in the bark in search of insects, especially their favourite: earwigs.

Contrary to most bird species, treecreeper territories are extremely small. They are often restricted to only one tree.

In my experience, treecreepers are challenging to photograph.

This is mainly because these birds tend to freeze as soon as they learn of someone’s presence and without any movement, it is almost impossible to differentiate the bird from tree bark.

A further challenge is the camera settings: the fact that treecreepers blend so well with their environment makes it difficult for the camera to recognise the foreground.

The best way to tackle this is to use manual focus, which can be tricky if the birds that you are trying to photograph are constantly on the move. On another note, these birds are also great at moving quickly to the other side of the tree the minute I spot one, and by the time I have walked around the tree a few times and spotted them again, they are way too high and my head is spinning!

Considering how difficult it is to spot and take a decent photograph of the treecreeper, I was chuffed when I found their nest last summer.

When I saw a hole in a tree with a diameter of about three centimetres, I thought it could belong to a family of great tits.

With excitement, I found myself a comfy stump and started the waiting game. As I could not see any obvious signs of nest activity, such as droppings or feathers around the tree, I was unsure whether my wait would pay off.

Luckily, not long after, a small head popped out and a treecreeper flew out of the nest.

Within minutes the bird returned carrying a bunch of insects in its beak.

A minute later, another individual appeared with pieces of straw.

The scene I was witnessing was a pair of parents feeding their chicks and supplying them with more bedding. The parents were beavering away; one kept bringing more nesting materials to the nest, whilst the other carried food. Their dedication was great to watch and I do not think I have ever seen such a harmonious team.

Despite having a couple of seconds between the birds landing and entering the nest, it was still tricky to photograph them. I had to use all of my senses to predict the bird’s movements and be quick enough to set up the right focus.

After taking a few shots I was happy with, I put my camera aside and started watching the busy parents with admiration.

I stayed for about 20 minutes and then left the pair in peace.

Finding that nest was a great opportunity to learn more about this fascinating species.

Curious about whether the hollow tree would still provide shelter to the treecreeper family, I decided to return there this summer.

Unfortunately, I have not been lucky enough to see my winged friends again.

If you would like to share your wildlife sightings from this summer, do not hesitate to get in touch. Speak to you next month!

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