Return of the Dippers

One casualty of the Boxing Day floods was the river itself and its Geography was changed in many ways by the sheer force of water which surged down the channel. One area of rapids was a great spot for sitting and watching the dippers but the flood scoured them away so the dippers moved on.

I've seen them flying up and down but not found where they like to dip however I did notice them this weekend flying from the main river and into a small brook which flows in close by. It's quite near to some locks on the canal so I could stand on a bridge over the brook and watch where they went.

It soon became clear they had a nest nearby as both parents were in and out with mouthfuls of treats for the young, ranging from small fish to grubs and crustaceans. Unfortunately the site wasn't great for photography but brilliant for watching their feeding antics. Hopefully I'll keep an eye on the area and see the young soon.