White-throated Treecreeper

Technically this beautiful bird is known as a white throated treecreeper, but it wasn’t until I captured this photo of our local visitor that I realised that she should really be called the ‘blushing treecreeper’ with her cute little rosy orange cheeks. It is only the females with this characteristic, so maybe white-throated is a better name.

Normally these birds are just seen as a dark shape creeping their way up the tree trunks, searching for ants which seem to be their main source of food, so I was very pleased to capture this side-on view.

They have a remarkably beautiful call. Our visitor comes with a large flock of mixed mini birds. There will be the treecreeper surrounded by fantails, superb wrens, multiple types of thornbill, finches and the odd pardalote. It is her call which signals the arrival of the mini bird party, and for me to get my camera out and see if I can capture some wonderful action shots.