Creep

Description

Birds I Never Noticed

The treecreeper is one of those birds I never really noticed until I got into wildlife photography. Once you know what to look for, though, you start seeing them everywhere in Sheffield’s parks and woodlands.

They have a distinctive behaviour: spiralling up tree trunks in a jerky, mouse-like movement, probing the bark for insects with their curved beaks. When they reach the top of one tree, they fly down to the base of the next tree and start climbing again. It’s methodical and relentless!

Graves Park

I photographed this treecreeper in Graves Park on an autumn afternoon. The encounter was brief – less than five minutes – but treecreepers are relatively cooperative subjects if you spot them. They’re so focused on their search for food that they often ignore human observers.

This particular bird was working its way up a moss-covered tree, and I managed to capture it mid-creep with its tail braced against the trunk for support. The mottled brown plumage provides excellent camouflage against tree bark, which is why these birds are so easy to miss despite being fairly common in Sheffield’s wooded areas.

About Treecreepers

The Eurasian treecreeper is one of Britain’s smallest birds, weighing only 8-12 grams. Their stiff tail feathers act as a prop, allowing them to press against the bark while they forage. The curved beak is perfectly adapted for extracting insects and spiders from crevices in the bark.

Their high-pitched call is distinctive once you learn it – a thin, piercing “tsee” that carries through the woodland. They’re year-round residents in Sheffield and throughout Britain, though they’re more vocal during the breeding season.

The Painting Process

Working in my Sheffield home studio, I created this piece in a single painting session using oils on 6×6 inch Ampersand Gessobord panel. I used palette knife work to build up texture in the tree and capture the mottled pattern of the treecreeper’s plumage.

Framed or Unframed

Choose the framed option and it arrives ready to hang. The frame is natural ayous, a pale, lightweight hardwood, with a 7mm face and 21mm depth. The panel sits inside it with a 5mm gap all round, so the painted edge of the panel stays visible and the picture appears to float inside the frame rather than sitting against it. A flush mount is already fitted to the back for hanging.

If you would rather choose your own frame, you can buy it unframed. For advice please refer to How to Frame a Painting on a Panel.

Original Artwork Details

Specifications:

• Medium: Oil on gessobord panel
• Size: 6 × 6 inches (~ 15 × 15 cm)
• Depth: 0.3 cm (~ 1/8 inch)
• Available framed or unframed
• Framed size: approximately 17.6 × 17.6 cm (~ 7 × 7 inches)
• Frame: natural ayous, 7mm face, 21mm depth, 5mm float gap, flush mount fitted
• Year: 2025
• Signed on reverse

Shipping & Care

Your painting will be carefully packaged with protective materials and shipped via Royal Mail within 3-5 business days. The panel is robust and archival – oil paintings on panel have been proven to last for centuries when properly cared for. Display away from direct sunlight and extreme humidity for best longevity.