It has been the nicest day in the UK today since early November. Great spring like weather, sunny and  balmy with clean clear air.  Crocus flowers everywhere, snowdrops and Daffodils, both in the garden and out wild in the woods and by the water, and that's  where I spent my day…….. in the woods, by the water.  Not a crazy person in sight, NO stone throwing children, no dogs and no abusive, miss-guided parents.  Just me, myself, birds, flowing water and wild flowers all around.

 What more could I want? …….. Dippers! So when I got myself settled in my bag-hide, it was just a matter of waiting until one arrived.  Like the proverbial bus joke, after more than an hour, not only one dipper but two. Well it is spring (almost), and love is in the air.  It certainly was for these two birds because they have paired up for certain.  I think there was in fact three birds because the first time I saw two together just too far down stream for a good photo, there was a bit of aggressive posturing and one flew off towards me and past to fly upstream.  Then minute later the remaining bird was joined by another yet again, this time there was no posturing so I can only assume that this was a bonded pair.  The picture below tells the story and is here for the record rather than it's photographic qualities.

I sat comfortably for well over two hours, perhaps nearer three and then decided to move down stream to a new spot which was nearer to where the Dippers seemed to be favouring. I stayed there for an hour, but still no Dippers came close enough and now I was getting a bit bored even though the expectation of a good sighting and consequently a good photo is usually enough to keep me sat. 

I eventually succumbed and packed away the bits and pieces of my day, then started to walk down stream to explore…….. and there was the Dipper by a water fall.  I dived to the ground and threw the cam netting over me and tried to get as close as I could. This never works because the netting invariably gets caught on a branch or something similar and it's very frustrating. So I never did get that Dipper shot today.  But then, by the water fall I saw that a sheep had fallen in the river several weeks ago and was  trapped in the bank, obviously dead for ages!   You can clearly see the exposed ribs…….. Ravens, Crows, Magpies or even Buzzards have been feeding on it.  This is just the opportunity that I look for and I can't wait to return and get myself in a hide nearby to see what turns up to feed……….. very, very exciting!!!!!!

Pretty ghastly sight if you are squeamish and for that I apologise. It obviously fell in up river when it was flooded and the farmer has no knowledge of his loss. It is a shame for him, but a bigger shame for the sheep though! On the way back to the car much later, the sun was shinning still and a Cock Pheasant was in the field, he ran for cover in typical Pheasant style and I took his photo just before he disappeared in to the hedge. I managed to "lock on to him" with my  auto focus and then pressed the trigger so to speak.  I bet he was glad, had he been aware, that I was only taking his picture and not his life which is probably the fate that awaits him. Next time someone  "locks on" it will probably be a twelve bore shot gun!

It's a funny old world we live in.