We’ve now spent three more days in the field since the last update, and things are starting to come together in a big way.
Day One: “This Looks Dippie…”
Our second full day out felt like a reminder of why field instincts matter. As we drove into the canyon, we stopped almost immediately because the habitat just looked… right. It had that classic “dippie” feel to it. And sure enough, just across from where we parked was an active nest. That set the tone for the entire day. By the time we wrapped up, we had marked 10 total sites along that stretch of creek including, three nests with nestlings, one active nest under construction (we watched the pair building), and six sites with old nests or clear evidence of past nesting. Across those sites, we counted 12 old nests that were not currently in use, suggesting this area has been heavily used for a long time. We only made it about halfway along the creek before running out of time, which feels like a good problem to have this early on.
Day Two: Not All Streams Are Equal
The next day was a very different story. We finished surveying the first creek and moved on to a new one, but the contrast was striking. The stream characteristics were very different, and overall, it just didn’t feel as “dippie.” We still spotted a couple of unbanded dippers, but despite a lot of effort and plenty of searching, we didn’t find a single nest. Days like that are a good reminder that maybe we were feeling a little over-confident in our nest finding abilities. 🙂
Day Three: A Familiar Pattern
Today felt productive again, but in a different way. The stretches of creek we surveyed didn’t offer much in the way of natural nesting habitat. There were essentially no rocky ledges or overhangs that dippers typically use, and overall the streams just didn’t have that same “dippie” feel we saw two days before. But there are bridges!
We found two more nests with nestlings and another active build, all built under bridges. It was similar to what we often see in the Black Hills, where birds frequently rely on human-made structures when natural nesting sites are limited. Even here in the Bighorns, it’s clear that when natural options are scarce, dippers are ready to adapt.
A Quick Summary: After four full days of fieldwork, here’s where things stand:
- Nests with nestlings: 6
- Active builds: 2
- Historic nesting locations: 6
We’ve already banded 6 pairs (12 adults) at nests with nestlings, and we plan to capture the 2 pairs (4 adults) at active builds once there are eggs in the nests. Not a bad start at all.
More soon from the Bighorns.
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