Tree Mouse !

This modest and retiring little bird, is, to speak

neither common nor uncommon.

Even where it is to be seen,it often is not seen,

for not only is its dress of a sober and unpretending character, 

bearing resemblance , likewise, as is the case with many of nature's animate works, to the less highly organised substances  on which it plays its part,

but it is also, more shy than fearful, shuns observation, and,

on coming within the range of your glance, withdraws at once from sight.

Extract taken from "A History of British Birds"
Volume the Second

by

The Rev. F.O. Morris

Rector of Nunburnholme, Yorkshire

Honorary member of the Philosophical Society

MDCCCXCI

1891

A few years ago I obtained from ebay,  a copy of

 " A History of British Birds" 

The book was obtained at a bargain price, but was in very bad condition, in fact, it was falling to pieces, only good for breaking, but it does contain a full set of hand coloured prints with the accompanying original text, 
my original idea was to frame some of the prints, which,
 I still have not got round  to as yet.

I thought the extract above sums up a Treecreeper sighting quite well,

 never an easy bird to see, let alone photograph.

" Tree Mouse" is the old country name for this bird, when seen, it does remind you of a mouse moving up a tree, it is well camouflaged, most of my sightings have been preceded  by hearing the high pitched call,
 which always pleases me,  as I was told before my retirement that I was losing my ability to hear high pitched sounds,      ....... not quite yet.

Unusually, the bird cannot move down the tree like a Woodpecker or Nuthatch, when it reaches the upper levels, it flies down to the base of the next tree in its constant search for invertebrates and such.

Here's a few images of a Treecreeper seen at New Hythe gravel Pits, alongside the railway embankment.

...................................