American Dipper - The Hummingbird of Blooming Waters

American Dipper also known as Water Ouzel

"He is the mountain streams' own darling, the hummingbird of blooming waters, loving rocky ripple slopes and sheets of foam as a bee loves flowers, as a lark loves sunshine and meadows." ~ John Muir

Inhabiting the rivers, streams and waterfalls that cascade down out of the Rocky Mountains is a unique resident with an exuberant passion for life. The American Dipper spends its entire existence in or near fast-flowing water happily focused on the bare necessities; family, food and shelter.

Also known as the Water Ouzel, it's a master architect designing spherical nests that cling precipitously to riverbanks, bridges and cliff ledges. Constantly singing and bobbing, the always optimistic dipper goes about its merry way, seemingly unaffected by poor luck, bad weather or human presence.

A million years of evolution has equipped the dipper with adaptations that enable it to hunt where others cannot. The stout bird braves the freezing rapids and flies underwater, leaving no stone unturned in its search for aquatic insects and larvae.

When out in nature, there are always lessons to be learned. Observing the dipper placidly navigating an icy torrent is a perfect example of staying calm in the midst of a storm. So when life gets crazy, take a cue from this laid-back, little bird and just go with the flow.

The dipper is a unique mountain resident

It spends its entire life in or near rushing water

Constantly singing and bobbing

The dipper is adapted to hunt underwater

It eats aquatic insects and larvae

The dipper is a laid-back, little bird

Staying calm in the midst of a storm

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lair O' the Bear and Dunafon Castle

Image
The restored Dunafon Castle Lair O' the Bear Park is nestled in a steep canyon about six miles east of Evergreen, Colorado. John and Matilda Johnson emigrated from Sweden with their two young boys and purchased the narrow meadow in 1902. They named it Mountain Nook Ranch, built a four-bedroom house and raised Red Durham cattle. Their two sons, Finis and Francis, attended school in nearby Starbuck, now known as Idledale. It was originally named for John Starbuck who won the town property in a poker game. John Johnson was a master gardener and his popular, fresh produce was sold in Evergreen and Denver. They planted over 200 cherry and apple trees in the area. If you look closely many can still be found throughout the park today. The unruly Bear Creek sculpted the beautiful scenery and provided the needed irrigation for productive crops but it also wreaked plenty of havoc. There was a constant fear of extreme flooding. The Lariat Trail (Highway 74 today) crossed Bear Creek s
Read more

Clear Creek - A Transparent Torrent

Image
Clear Creek at Golden, Colorado On a gorgeous evening in Golden, Colorado, Clear Creek is undeniably liberated from winter's icy grasp. As the cold season draws to a close, we are challenged to emerge from our dark den. The great thaw continues and soon this silent stream will be transformed into a transparent torrent, flowing below a series of rustic bridges. Off towards the setting sun, a deep gorge was hewn by this wonderful waterway. Rushing down out of the foothills, a deluge of glacial water causes the snowy banks to collapse. Bordering the rock-filled river, bare trees are unable to divert the air of changing seasons. Packed with deep snow, the canyon trail is mired in an eternal shadow. Backlit beneath billowy clouds, the blue mountains remain anything but glum. A cheerful spirit permeates the entire landscape. It's on a special night just like this that I'm reminded. When an extraordinary light shines down from above, it reveals a certain truth and bea
Read more

The Brook Forest Inn - Ghosts, Germans and Gold

Image
The Brook Forest Inn is southwest of Evergreen It was the summer of 1943 near Evergreen, Colorado and the Brook Forest Inn was a luxury resort nestled in a stand of lodgepole pine at the base of Black Mountain. Carl was at work in the nearby livery stable when he learned that his wife, Jessica, had been unfaithful. Jessica also worked at the inn and she was preparing the Monte Carlo Room for that evening's guests. Carl stormed in, confronted her and a violent altercation ensued. Fueled by a jealous rage, Carl strangled Jessica to death. Overcome with guilt, Carl returned to the stable, constructed a rope noose and promptly hung himself. The stunning tragedy shocked the idyllic mountain community. A few years earlier, before the outbreak of World War II, a suspicious group of German tourists checked into the hotel. They claimed to be on a bicycle tour of America. Come to find out, they were actually spies. They used the place as a headquarters while they studied and mapped
Read more