Creeper!/¡Trepador!

Certhia americana

Yesterday was  my dad's birthday, and we decided to go out together and play with the snow to celebrate and have a good time. When we got outside I found myself busy examining unknown mammal tracks and droppings, plus of course going off to look for birds in my patch. Therefore I left them playing snowball fights and ran off to the woods, with its huge oak trees standing like majestic giants.
I heard a familiar series of calls in the forest. At first I was doubtful of what it was, but then rose to a half-conclusion--cedar waxwings! I crossed the small stream that runs through those woods (the Paint Branch Valley stream) and looked around for a sign of movement.  I was determined to get at those waxwings.
I'd seen waxwings here before. One day while looking out the window, I noticed these strange flock of birds squabbling in an oak tree. My heart pounded. I raised my bins to my eyes and clearly saw a flock Cedar waxwings, with their unmistakable crests, upright posture and black mask. This would hopefully be my second sighting of a waxwing.
I searched through the leafless trees for a flock of birds, but was only able to spot a Downy woodpecker and couple of cardinals and chickadees (I love them, but they weren't exactly what I was looking for then).
Suddenly, I noticed this tiny bird climbing up a tree, and immediately recognized it. I had seen it mentioned in several birdfeeding books, and was quite familiarized with its appearance, yet wondered why it had never shown up around here. Now, it did show up. It was a Brown Creeper, a tiny, brown bird with a white underside and markings all over its body, keeping it well camouflaged in the trees..
I was terribly happy/proud! A Brown Creeper! My first one ever! I lost sight of the bird for a moment, but afterwards spotted it again, climbing up a tree trunk when it was half-way up the tree it flew over to another tree and began climbing again. I must confess they are incredibly adorable birds.
I believe that perhaps I saw a creeper earlier before, for I had noticed a little brownish bird creeping up a tree in the morning. Afterwards I convinced myself it was just a nuthatch, but now I believe it was a creeper, not only because of its behaviour but also because of its brown-looking color (didn't have my binoculars with me).

Afterwards my dad called me back so that we could all played together a game where somebody  stands flat against a wall and everybody else throws snowballs at him/her. Then, one person is chosen to stuff a snowball into the victim's neck. We played many variants of the game and then when back home to celebrate some more with a delicious dinner.

When I felt nice and warm, and my toes weren't numb anymore, I checked in my field guide for the brown creeper and quickly understood why I hadn't seen creepers here before. They appeared in this area only in the winter, thus explaining why I had never seen these apparently common birds around this woodland before winter came.

What a great experience did I have with the creeper (and the waxwings)! And Happy Birthday dad, we hope you can celebrate with us many more of your birthdays!
_____________________________________________________________
ES

Traducción vendrá pronto


========
-Cristina
---------------
Photo/Imagen: Brown Creeper/ Trepador Americano de Wiki Commons.