I Live in Kenmore. I have been feeding birds in my backyard for 5 years
but not paid much attention to other birds. When I inherited a dog who
needed daily walks I started taking her to Wallace Swamp Creek Park. I
was noticing birds I don't see at my feeders, so I started bringing my
binoculars along and keeping a list. WSCP is a 17 acre undeveloped park,
I met a group from LFP who bird WSCP occasionally, One Sunday I joined
them, one man asked me if I ever see dippers. I'd never even heard of a
dipper. so I did some research and started looking in typical places.
Twice I had very brief sightings of something I thought might be a
dipper, small dark bird flying low above the water. I just couldn't be
sure.
One day I was showing a friend around the park and she too asked if I
ever see dippers. I told her about my two maybe sightings. This was
during that Cold spell we had in early December, remember before the 27
days of continual rain. The very next day I heard a new song along the
stream bed and followed it to find a dipper, one who liked to stay still
and show himself to me. the next day I was able to get very close to him.
O h how I wished I had my camera. from then on I tried to get his picture
but the only times I saw him I didn't have my camera with me I saw him
on and off for about a week.,then nothing, I assume that when the streams
at higher elevations thawed he went back where he came from. Then
Christmas Morning I saw him swimming in a puddle caused by all the
flooding. I followed him for about 10 minutes, he was so cooperative I
decided I would go home( 2 Blocks away) and bring my camera back. When I
returned a little girl and her father were throwing rocks in the stream
where I had seen him last, Oh Well! But much to my delight, I was able to
relocate him within a few minutes and got my long sought after pictures.
What a Christmas Present!
Linda Phillips
Kenmore 98028-2616
Sweetmem at juno.com