Today it almost happened. There is a significant improvement in my Dipper photos but still can’t get as close as I want. But first here is the day’s events as they unfolded. I got myself out to the river a little later than yesterday but was sat ready and waiting by 11ish. It wasn’t long before a Dipper was opposite me and feeding in the shallows. She, and I say that because I am sure that’s what she was, was too far for a photo but I kept my fingers crossed and hoped that she would come over to me…… she didn’t but flew upstream and past me. This was good because if she was aware of me she would have flown away from me and not past. I sat waiting for her to return when suddenly another Dipper (the one pictured) landed on the rocks, again opposite me but still on the opposite bank. This one was brighter in colour and I could see his throat ‘going” as he warbled away to himself……. must be a male! I hadn’t really thought of the Dippers actually singing but apparently they have a nice song. Quite how you can hear it above the sound of waterfalls I don’t know…….. another one of natures weird facts. I have said before how their call, usually uttered when they fly away, is in a frequency that is higher than the rumble of tumbling water. Anyway, back to this Dipper who stood on his rock and preened and rested for twenty minutes giving me the chance to adjust the camera and get the very best photo that I could. When it was all over he did exactly what the female had done, flew right past me and upstream never to return today! While I sat there I had another fly past from the Kingfisher which was interesting but again, very frustrating.
I had a very nice email from Julian who reads my Blog regularly, asking about my camouglage set up so I took some photos to show how it looks and sent him a reply. The gist of that is enclosed here because I thought everyone would find it useful.

 “I have a combination of cam gear. I always wear cam clothing which I bought from the USA on a visit, it is called Mossy Oak by Readhead but I also like the range by “Jack Pike” here in the UK which you can get from any hunting shooting and fishing shop. Also Government Surplus shops are good. I was a musician in the Royal Marines for 35 years so I am used to a bit of military gear (although I hatred wearing it when I was serving). A cam poncho is a good bit of kit. I basically sit down on a military roll mat (from the surplus shop) this will keep your backside dry as well, then put the camera (on a tripod) between your legs with the camera at eye level. Find a spot where you can lean back so your back is already hidden and you feel comfy, youre going to be there for 2 hours! Then cover your lens with a military face veil…. obviously not the front… I mean just wrap it loosely around. Get your ‘poncho’ and drape it around yourself, then cover everything with good quality “scrim’ or cam netting (also government surplus) pay about £20 for a piece 8 feet by 8 for example. Finally pull the poncho over your head so that you are now covered with a combination of netting (called scrim), and the poncho. If you want to make doubly sure use bracken… already prepared before you sat down, to cover your legs and you can even thread it in and out of the netting. I have an acquaintance who was a recent Major in the SBS ( Special Boat Service) and he was telling me that this method of camo was good enough to fool a Jaguar in the jungles of Belize and Guatemala when he had one pass within 6 feet of him as he was covertly watching Guatemalan soldiers.”
So there we have it and here is a photo taken in the garden of me set up, so to speak.

Obviously, in a wild and rural setting it will blend in much more effectively because that is what you are trying to do.  I also have a pop-up chair hide which I find is a bit too big and not in the least bit subtle, in fact you have to use netting and foliage to camouflage the hide which defeats the object.  However, one point worth noting.  If you are using a pop-up chair hide in an area wheer birds are passing through, on  migration for example, then they will not be surprised by a new hide in the territory because as ‘newcomers” they are not suddenly confronted by something new in an area that they have been familiar with for the last few months, hope that makes sense.

Here are more dippers from today.

I also had 45 minutes late evening to look for my female Kingfisher and I am glad to say that now the level of the brook has receded she is OK and still flashing up and down the brook. I bumped in to a man fro Cambridge today who mentioned Kingfishers to me and said he hadn’t ever seen one. I tried very hard not to sound to smug when I told him that I had seen one already today, now I have seen two today! Sure he didn’t believe me!!!!