As my hikes/backpacks tend to take me along mountain streams I've had opportunities to watch American Dippers in action, but only once have I come close to capturing their technique photographically. This sequence was taken in Sept 2008 along Big Pine Creek in California's eastern Sierra Nevada using the 40D/100-400 IS on a BushHawk mount. Due to the fading light and the Dipper's quickness I had to use ISOs 1250 and 1600 and an aperture of f5.6. I used a bit of noise removal in Paint Shop Pro X2, but the pics were much cleaner than I expected. C and C welcome.
elbmuh wrote:
Very nice series of a bird I've never seen or heard of before. Great stuff!
Jason-
It's an amazing little bird, Jason. You'd think that a creek as swift-flowing as this one was would knock this lightweight fellow downstream, but there he was going against the current. You'd think there would be easier ways to find food.
It's just a fairly nondescript little gray bird (nothing like the Mandarins ) but it sure has adapted itself to its environment. Not that easy to photograph, though. I saw one again this September and the pics are all OOF.
Steve,
Interesting to see exemplary behavioral shots of this rarely seen bird (at least in our local area). I saw some of them about 200 ft inside the gate across the bridge from Glacier Lodge.
Nice Steve and a new one for me. Also maybe to the bird one red ant was better than no red ant. Amazing what birds and animals will eat and I can't even have a beer. BUMMER
Lou
I remember this bird! They must have some pretty strong grippers to hold onto that slippery bottom in the current. Infomative series Steve, nice 'skinny-dippin-bird' Thanks for sharing what seems to be a rarely photographed bird.
Steve -
Thanks for bringing to my attention a new species. When I was up at Zion in September, I watched a bird engaged in the same behavior for a very long time, but didn't know what kind of bird it was.
- Ken
) membrane as it plunges in the water --
