Dipper hanging from the nest yesterday.

22nd March and still no eggs yet. I had a comment left on the blog today from someone who was questioning the legality of checking for egg laying at my Dipper nest.  I suppose that this is a reasonable question to ask so I thought that it was appropriate to mention that I am in actual fact signed up to the British Trust for Ornithology's Nest Recording Scheme. Part of the recording of data requires that I note the date of the laying of the first egg and also the size of the clutch. There is no need to check again until chicks hatch. You can hardly find out when an egg is laid without actually looking!  The data collected is of paramount importance to the BTO who use the collated data from thousands of records. Information about suitability of habitat, and changes in reproduction and successes are analysed. Trends can then be monitored and action taken if it required.  The recording of egg laying is of vital significance.  However, there are very clear "rules" to observe to  ensure that the safety of the nest is maintained.  Interestingly scientific research has concluded hat the recording of nests by recorders has no impact whatsoever on  the viability and success of the nest.  I have contacted Bob privately to let him know that my checking of the nest is being undertaken in the name of science and under the auspices of the BTO.

Today, the Dippers were still around the nest and the female went inside but only once while I was there. Both birds were seen up river as normal, well away from the nest site.  When I went back in the late afternoon, again they were both way up river.

This morning I had found a freshly killed Pheasant close to the edge of the river. It had been partly eaten.  When I went back later on, it was where it had been before but much more had been taken.  I moved it to opposite one of my hides and I am hoping that when I go back tomorrow I might be lucky and get some interesting views of the scavengers coming to clean up the carcass.