Treecreeper

All quiet on the Fen this morning. The Bearded tits were heard but not seen, making the long walk and long wait seem a bit disappointing, but such is wildlife photography. On the way back I spotted a Little Egret, hunched up in the wet fen. There’s water everywhere, the fen is a damp place anyway, but I’ve never seen it so wet. The flooded areas reflect the big Norfolk sky and the golden sun gilds the reeds, a little corner of wilderness.

I notice a bird in a tree and set the camera up to have a look. It’s a Water rail, a secretive creature that’s rarely seen. I think there are quite a few on the Fen, as I’ve often heard their eerie shrieking call, but I’ve only seen them here a couple of times. Looks like this one was trying to keep his feet dry. He was too distant for a decent photo, but I thought I’d show you this for interest.

Walking back through the wood, a group of Long-tailed, Great and Blue tits were foraging in the tree tops, a pair of Treecreepers were with them. Back at the car park, I found a Treecreeper on one of the oaks and tried to photograph this small mouse like bird as it crept up the tree, using it’s needle thin beak to prize insects from the bark. It would creep to the higher branches and then tumble like a falling leaf back to the bottom to begin searching the tree again, always working upwards. Only after repeating this process numerous times was the Treecreeper satisfied that every crevice had been checked and it moved off to search another tree.

The soft winter sun wasn’t quite strong enough to capture this fast moving little bird, but I was pleased to get one photo!

 
(Click images to view larger…)

If you like what you see, please consider sharing![social_share/]

UK & Eire Natural History Bloggers

Similar Posts

  • Nearly but not quite

    Someone very wise once said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. It’s true, and that’s what we do as wildlife photographers. We visit the same spot again and again, hoping for that one moment when it all comes together. The light, the subject – we wait…

  • Bempton Cliffs

    I have only ever visited Bempton out of season, when the Gannets still swoop and soar, but not much else is around. Trips to the rugged, windswept cliff tops have caused both sunburn and a soaking on previous occasions. From May the area is a seabird city, with half a million nesting birds. The Gannets…

  • Two Turtle Doves

    Just a quick midweek update, you can purchase these chocolate Turtle Doves, made by Chocally, in support of Operation Turtle Dove. Take a look here: Chocolate Turtle Doves They look delicious!     If you like what you see, please consider sharing![social_share/]

  • Back to the Fen

    My first visit to the Fen in a long time, it was great to pick the camera up and get out again. The reedbeds are quiet now that the warblers have departed for somewhere warmer, and everywhere has a gentle autumnal glow. With little going on I pick out a Reedmace head to photograph, and…

  • Peek-a-boo

    Over the Fen this morning, couldn’t resist photographing this little rabbit as he peeked out of his burrow at me. Sunshine and showers kept the Sedge and Reed warblers hiding low in the vegetation, but the Cuckoo was still singing away. Five Roe deer were very camera shy, only the rabbits would let me photograph…

  • Cuckoo City

    Decided to head back to the Fen on Wednesday evening as it was so lovely. This little rabbit posed nicely, but I could only stand to photograph him for so long as I was being eaten alive by mozzies. Whilst there I noticed an odd looking bird, like a small hawk. Looking through the viewfinder,…

3 Comments

Leave a Reply