Tails of the Unexpected

Unexpected in that I'd never seen a dipper here before. I was avoiding a parked up car with a couple eating sandwiches and not wanting to intrude walked over to the other side of the bridge where I'd never seen anything and was not expecting to either.

The movement down by the stream in the dim light of the forest, the flash of the white chest feathers against the water caught my eye. I was still there at least an hour later with my camp seat out of the back of the car pointing the lens through the fencing. 

It was a privilege to see such a beautiful adult bird so close and for so long; getting a bridge eye view of him swimming underwater for invertebrates then seeing him perch on fallen branches in the stream plus preening and chilling on a gorgeous afternoon not taking any notice of me! They can actually walk on the bottom of the river or stream as their bones are 'uniquely solid amongst flying birds'! Just love them! 

1300 shots which is scary.