White-throated Dipper on the river Frome

My kingfisher watch restarted today and once again got nowhere. I did reach the river Frome where it passes under Capel's Mill railway viaduct but there was no sign of it. Instead I found that the newly built extension of the canal was overflowing its newly constructed elevated side and the water was finding its way back into the river. I met Nadine, one of several people ui spoke to on my walk, who used to be involved with caring for the flora and fauna of this area for Stroud Valleys Project.

I started to walk along the river westwards towards Stroud town, along the beautiful small incised valley called Fromebanks. This stretch has been a nature reserve, then threatened with housing development and hopefully will soon become a reserve again when Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust takes over its management. I know this because I met the man from the Trust responsible for Fromebanks whilst I was walking. This is good news as its uncertain future has worried many people and as it is in my ward, I can now hopefully reassure people.

Once I had walked a hundred yards away from the viaduct, the river became less turbulent, as its course widened a bit. I hovered with my camera as this is where I have seen kingfishers flying before and even perching on small branches over the river. However I did see this dipper on a rock on the same side of the river as I was walking. As I tried to slowly approach, I disturbed it and it flew off to this branch in the water near the other bank a few yards further downstream. I managed to move closer again and took this picture, but just as I was about tot get nearer still, a woman walking her dog approached me from behind and that set the dipper off again, flying far away downstream. I did get a picture of it with its white eye patch revealed, which is referred to in this bit of information from the BBC Nature website:
White-throated dippers have evolved a superb ability to hunt underwater. Holding their wings outstretched, they stabilize their weight and walk along the bottom of fast running rivers or streams. Dippers feed on a wide range of aquatic invertebrates and fish and are found throughout most of Europe and the Middle East.

Dippers are named for the bobbing and dipping movements they make whilst perched. They have a distinctive white throat and breast against their dark brown-black plumage. A flash of their specialised white eyelids, used to protect the eyes when submerged, provides further identification if needed.

The BBC Winterwatch programme had a special feature about Dippers the night before last.

On my way back upstream a yellow wagtail joined me beside the water's edge and hopped about, seeming not to care about my presence. Then the dipper flew back past me and I tried to approach it again, to no avail. I must try looking for the kingfisher again soon, when it isn't so busy down by the riverside.