Hello folks who wonder if bacteria are patient enough to wait for 5 seconds before attacking that cookie on the ground,

The first time I passed by someone shouting "A brown creeper at 2 o'clock from me" I thought they were referring to a seasoned asian stalker, so I stop and try to take a look.
Turns out, they were talking about this inconspicuous bird on a tree bark.

Brown Creeper is a fascinating bird because it is hard to spot one unless they blow their cover temporarily while foraging for insects and spiders nested in the ridges of the bark. These creepers are the ninjas of the bird world, wearing clothing that effortlessly blends with their environment. Let's see if you can spot one in the challenge below(Don't use a binocular to give you an undue advantage and make people around you think you are an idiot):


Did you find it? The one on the right? Or the one on the bottom left? Well, there is none in this footage, so stop creating monsters when there are none.
Tracking this bird's position becomes easier once you know the pattern in which they move. They start at the base of a tree, climbing upward, moving from side to side, investigating the presence of insects or spiders in these ridges just as I try to find if there are any more pieces of chips left once my fingers touch the bottom of the chip bag. Once they reach the top of the trunk they will fly to the base of the same or a nearby tree and start the cycle all over again.
Below is one caught in the act. When I saw this scene, I thought that victim might think it is being devoured by a T.rex like the Jurassic Park movies and then it hit me, insects don't watch movies or maybe they just watch oscar winning ones?


Introverts are like cats, try to show too much attention and they will run away or even scratch your face. But leave them alone, and they will cozy up besides you.
The Ridgway's Rail is one of the prime example of an introvert in the world of birding.
Now you might be thinking who is this person named Ridgway that owns all these Rails?

Turns out Robert Ridgway was an American ornithologist who is credited with describing a lot of birds in North America. Well, easy for him since he did not have his time taken away from balancing fidget spinners to eating tide pods or even watching other people eat food on the internet. Also, he did not ever have a TikTok account. Your argument is invalid!

But I digress, Ridgway's Rails are commonly found in tidal wetlands and Palo Alto Baylands is one of the best places to spot them. They are shy creatures sporting a drab coat which makes them really good at blending with the environment. In addition, they easily freak out in the presence of humans, so if you want to spot one, just pretend you are playing Candy Crush Saga on your smartphone and they will appear out of the gumplants and make themselves at home.

Below is one sipping and pooping among the marshes at Palo Alto Baylands. Please don't judge it's diet by the appearance of it's poop.


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