The American Dippers of Bear Creek that our Evergreen Audubon’s Dipper Project has been observing have had a very productive nesting season. As July approaches, the dippers that hatched in the beginning of nesting season have fledged. At at least three sites at lower elevations in the watershed, second nestings have resulted in at least 7 additional dippers hatched that are now voraciously eating every stream insect their harried parents can bring!

In Bear Creek upstream of Kittredge, observed at least 15 nestlings/fledglings in the first round of nesting. There may be more, but some nests are difficult to observe and we can only guess at the number of nestlings based on their loud cries when parents arrive with food. Below Kittredge, we estimate 9 or more nestlings/fledglings. Again it is difficult to confirm the young at some sites.

As we approach August, we expect that most of this year’s fledged young will have dispersed and that the beleaguered parents will be recovering from the stress and rigors of nesting, as well as going through molts. This suggests that in all likelihood, dippers you observe in August will be the new dipper members of our watershed and we are happy to have them and hope you enjoy their bobbing and diving the next time you are birding along Bear Creek!