This is a misfeature in Windows. MSDN documents it on the page for GetFileTime (available via Google search as "GetFileTime" site:msdn.microsoft.com if the page moves again):
If you rename or delete a file, then restore it shortly thereafter, Windows searches the cache for file information to restore. Cached information includes its short/long name pair and creation time.
Since this is a cache, that might explain OP's observation that other activity influences whether the creation time is reused.

In reply to Re^4: Re-Creating a file does not change inode modification time (Windows) by Anonymous Monk
in thread Re-Creating a file does not change inode modification time (Windows) by rovf

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