Sunday 22 March 2015

Dipper Dipping

Well the title isn't strictly correct, let me explain.

Some of you may know that there had been a "black-bellied" Dipper (one of the Scandinavian/Continental races) seen at Voe, during the week of the 7th with another bird seen on and off at Skaw, Unst for a while as well.
On the 7th I'd been up in Ollarberry with my Dad checking out an old car and we decided to have a look on the way back.

Upon arrival to what I know now as the "Burn of Daal" in Voes Bottom, I saw two birders waiting to photograph the Dipper, Jim Nicolson and another whom I'd met while hunting for a Glossy Ibis at Sullom last year.

I went up and joined the two birders and they gave me straight directions to the bird, which was dead center in a heap of willows going over the burn.... well it had to come out sometime.
Actually seconds, mere seconds, it popped out of its hiding spot and flew a couple of metres upstream and I could see it through the branches! ticked! Shetland addition number 231 and my third addition of the year! not bad.

'Black-bellied' Dipper by Jim Nicolson

It showed its lovely white throat and dark belly before going past its "favourite" perch and going upstream, that was the last we saw of it and I only got views for maybe 20-30 seconds.

But yes to the dipping part....

The next day I headed up to see it again with Dave (Okill) and we dipped it along with the Green-winged Teal at Orwick Water, Muckle Roe though we did pull up a Woodcock.

So just to conclude I managed to add another glorious bird to my Shetland List before dipping it the next day, well its just luck isn't it?


1 comment:

  1. Not a bird you see much of in Nottinghamshire, we tend to not have many fast flowing clear streams. Just sludgy rivers

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