Subject: [Tweeters] Dippers feeding on lakeshores
Date: Oct 4 14:21:06 2005
From: Wayne C. Weber - contopus at telus.net


Michael and Tweeters,

In my experience, your observation of a Dipper feeding along the shore of
a pond is not all that unusual, even though they probably do spend 90%
or more of their time along flowing (often fast-flowing) streams.

I can recall seeing Dippers feeding along lakeshores at the following
places:

(1) Bagley Lakes (really ponds, not lakes) near the Heather Meadows ski area
near Mount Baker-- only about 2 weeks ago. The altitude here is above
4000 feet. I am told that Dippers have nested on or near the dam where
the outlet stream leaves the lakes

(2) Pass Lake on Fidalgo I. (Skagit County)

(3) A lake on Saltspring Island, BC

(4) On the shore of Okanagan Lake, BC, near Naramata (4 birds at once
on the lakeshore-- admittedly near the mouth of a large stream).

I'm sure there are quite a few other sightings I have had of Dippers
feeding on lakeshores that I cannot remember offhand.

For every rule, there are exceptions!


Wayne C. Weber
Delta, BC
contopus at telus.net



----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Hobbs" <birdmarymoor at verizon.net>
To: "Tweeters (E-mail)" <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 10:24 PM
Subject: [Tweeters] Odd dipper sighting


Tweets - yesterday, my family hiked with the Washington Native Plant Society
up (almost) to Silver Peak, above Hyak. While on the Pacific Crest trail at
somewhat above 4000' elevation, we came across one of those shallow alpine
ponds, perhaps 1500-2000 sq. ft. Along the edge (and feeding there for
several hours) was an American Dipper. This is the first time I've ever
seen one in slack water. The only stream nearby was the one feeding and
draining the pond, and it was no more than a couple of feet wide.

I did read, in the new Birds of Washington (Wahl et. al, 2005), that they
will range up to tree line during post breeding dispersal. So I guess
that's what I saw.

== Michael Hobbs
== Kirkland, WA
== http://www.scn.org/fomp/birding.htm
== birdmarymoor at verizon.net


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