Mr. Creeper

Dateline: 3 July 2022

Looks like a beautiful day in Erie – hope everyone can get outside to enjoy nature.

Exciting bird news to report from yesterday (more warblers!), but it has to wait for tomorrow’s rather epic post. In the meantime, some shots from winter/early spring of amazing Brown Creeper, out at Presque Isle State Park. (Would have called this post “Jeepers Creepers” but it’s been done before.)

Blending in

Quick note on bird anatomy. Notice the foot structure as shown in the following shot. The three phalanges (fore toes) appear fairly typical, but the hallux or hind toe is relatively extremely elongate and with an elongate claw. Amazingly adapted for adeptly climbing trees, in line with this bird’s feeding behavior.

Adaptation
Blending in II
Creepy meal
Blending in III
Creepy profile