I Am No Longer a Dipper Dipper

One is almost guaranteed to find an American Dipper at the Fortson Mill Ponds in Snohomish County where they nest under the bridge. Maybe so, but I had dipped three times in a row. Today errands brought me “close” to the area (20 miles away). Despite some rain, I decided to give it a go. The rain increased as I turned off the main highway and I debated whether to abandon the plan as I did not have rain gear. I decided to brave the 50 yard walk give it a quick look (without camera). I opened the car door … and … the rain almost completely stopped. I grabbed the camera and walked in to the viewing spot, a metal grate over the mill stream. A minute later first one and then a second American Dipper flew by me and continued maybe 50 yards upstream. A sighting but no photo. I used less than 10 seconds of playback and one of the Dippers flew in an stood in the water just below me. The bird gods were smiling on me! (And it started raining again almost as soon as I got back to the car.)