Dippers & Grey Wagtails. Mid-Cornwall 18th March 2021.

 

Dull weather is probably best for photographing Dippers as it's so easy to "burn out" that bright white breast patch. Maybe a bit brighter than I had, perhaps "bright overcast" may have been better.

The big problem with low light and a bird that keeps "dipping" up and down is trying to keep a fast enough shutter speed so that the bird stays in focus, whilst keeping the ISO at a manageable level.

However they are very active at the moment nest building and maintaining territories. I've watched them on both the higher and lower reaches of the River Camel and also on the River Fowey.

You can almost guarantee that if you have dippers then you will also have Grey Wagtails as both species are fond of similar habitats, fast flowing streams with plenty of rocks and riffles to oxygenate the water.

Here are a few images taken today.

Grey Wagtail with nest material

Grey Wagtail nest building on the side of a bridge.

Grey Wagtails in mid-Cornwall 16th March 2021

 

I spent an enjoyable couple of hours photographing this lovely female Grey Wagtail this morning in mid-Cornwall on a fast flowing stream strewn with granite boulders.

Oddly enough Dippers were my intended target species for today but I never caught sight of one!

The wagtail was flitting from boulders to sticks to overhanging branches and catching quite a few insects as the sun had brought them out after a few dull days down in the valley bottom.

A bit of an exposure nightmare with all the sunshine and shadows but I really like the blown water highlights with the circular flares and started actually looking to include them in my pics.

Birds of the river... Dippers & Grey Wags 15th May 2019

"Today, I have been mostly sat in the river!"

A few shots of a Dipper and a Grey Wagtail on the River Camel on North Cornwall this morning sadly cut short when a black labrador decided to play in the river where I was photographing!

A dog owner myself but still not amused!

Grey Wagtail and Dipper in North Cornwall streams

Grey Wagtail

This fine female Grey Wagtail was with it's mate feeding on the recently hatched flies and bugs.

Dipper

 

One of the few Dipper shots I took today that had the bird free from heavy shadows!