American Dipper

American Dipper hunts for small insects in fast moving water.

Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f4L IS w/1.4x (700mm) 1/400 sec @ f8, ISO 400

Closeup crop almost reveals the eye of the bird.

The American Dipper is an aquatic passerine. What is that? For those who don't know, the order of Passeriformes are more commonly called perching or songbirds. This unique bird gathers bugs and small fish in fast moving streams. It's quite an interesting bird to watch, and I had the brief opportunity last week to grab a few photos. It was in the heat of the day with contrasty light. Its a challenging bird to photograph since it requires a long lens, difficult focus parameters, the bird moves fast, and you are never sure what the moving water will look like when frozen in time. My hope is to attempt some underwater shots as well as some above water. This image is an almost, as you can barely make out the eye and the beak, as the water flows over the back. I plan to return for a more calculated photo endeavor. I'll post my results.