While on a foraging trip today I saw two American Dippers. First one was at
the Barrier Dam (Cowlitz River) boat launching ramp, about 200 yards up
stream from the launch site. There were bank fisherfolks in the area and
one walked within two or three feet of the bird (without looking at the
bird) which was on a rock on the edge of the water, before the bird flew off
to a small island and then off to where I couldn't find it anymore.

The second American Dipper was at the Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, on the
Tilton River. There were several bank fishermen in the area there as well.
The bird was on a rock in the water and disappeared underwater and came up
with a pale salmon egg. Believe that Tacoma Power dumps salmon, steelhead,
and trout into the Tilton at this spot as part of their truck around
operation so don't know if this particular salmon egg was directly from a
fish or from a fisherfolk on the bank.

Believe that someone once posted that these birds are difficult to find but
perhaps the spawning salmon are bringing them to the rivers. Know that a
few years ago I used to see two of them at the outlet of the Palmer fish
hatchery on the Green River, but haven't seen one there for at least 6
years.

Jim Brewster
Tacoma
BrewsHome at thewiredcity.net