{"id":2367,"date":"2016-06-19T13:23:16","date_gmt":"2016-06-19T20:23:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ocbirds.com\/?p=2367"},"modified":"2016-06-19T13:25:08","modified_gmt":"2016-06-19T20:25:08","slug":"american-dipper-the-lone-aquatic-songbird","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbirds.com\/?p=2367","title":{"rendered":"American Dipper: the lone aquatic songbird"},"content":{"rendered":"

On June 18th, 2016 Mike Sanders and I had opted to travel just outside Orange County to Mount Baldy.\u00a0 This was a 1 hour and 15 minute drive with hopes of locating the American Dipper.\u00a0 Last year in early July, after several hours of canvassing the creek, we were unsuccessful.\u00a0 This year however finding the American Dipper didn’t take long.\u00a0 As we parked in the dirt lot and headed south we crossed over the bridge and walked along the old dilapidated highway opposite and parallel to the Barrett-Stoddard truck trail for about 3\/4 of a mile.\u00a0 Its a steep descent to the lower creek.\u00a0 We felt getting past the the pool areas where weekenders were enjoying cooling off, might be a good starting point.\u00a0 After descending the steep slope and reaching the creek we traversed and headed backward in the same direction we had arrived.\u00a0 Within 15 minutes or so, we are able to find one American Dipper that was rather cooperative.\u00a0 It remained motionless at times canvassing the water flow for food.\u00a0 However I did note its bobbing motion and its clunky flying pattern as it flew up stream in short bursts.\u00a0 Its dark gray-brown plumage could make this species difficult to locate if under rocks or in the shadows.\u00a0 No vocalizations were heard though at the end of our observation we located a second American Dipper and quite possibly this was a male and female encounter.\u00a0 A photo and video are below.\u00a0 As a side note, Mike had recollected and had accurate record of seeing this species in Orange County back in the late 70s however finding this species in Orange County with the extended drought would be highly unlikely.\u00a0 The Doug Willick book, The Birds of Orange County, points to a lone record in January 27, 1988 in upper SJC (assuming San Juan Capistrano).<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Photo and video taken at Barrett-Stoddard Rd, Mt. Baldy, San Bernardino, CA on June 18, 2016.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Video was handheld while standing within the creek with a Canon 7D Mark II and a Canon 100-400 USM IS II.\u00a0 Stabilzation correction processed in Mercalli and Video Studio 8.<\/p>\n

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\"American<\/a>