Close encounter

This was taken on what felt like the coldest day of the cold snap. I was at Leighton Moss in the afternoon, and it was all but deserted of people as a strong, perishing easterly wind blew through the reserve. Much of the open water was frozen and there was no sign of any egrets, and most birds seemed to be hunkered down trying to keep out of the arctic blast.

On the walk down to Griesdale Hide, there was a cluster of passerines where someone had left some food on a tree branch. They were a little more approachable than usual, including this treecreeper that was searching for food on the mossy branches and trunks of the trees and shrubs. It's the closest I've been to one of these active, fidgety birds, and I've not previously noticed how unusual and attractive is the dappled patterning of the brown plumage on its wings and back.

Backblipped on Monday 5 March 2018