Diving bird

[gobbiner]

I was walking along the river Brock today when a bird probably the size of a largish sparrow, splashed down in the water, the thing is the water is about 5 feet deep at this spot, the bird kept diving down then popping up it did this several times before it flew off, now im pretty sure it wasnt a dipper anywway i have never seen a dipper do this, ideas please thanks...Ray

[alanjns]

Do you have any further info re the plummage etc Ray? Where abouts on the Brock were you? I've been to the stretch at Billsborow where Dipper, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail frequent.

[gobbiner]

Originally Posted by alanjns

Do you have any further info re the plummage etc Ray? Where abouts on the Brock were you? I've been to the stretch at Billsborow where Dipper, Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail frequent.

I was at the side of the Land Rover garage as the sun wasnt on my side i could only say black plumage it definately wasnt a wetland bird as it was only small i thought it odd to say the least

[alanjns]

I'd have to have a guess at Dipper Ray, although to be honest, I've no ruddy idea

[astafjevs]

I saw a kingfisher in poor light once and thought it looked almost black?

[gobbiner]

Originally Posted by alanjns

I'd have to have a guess at Dipper Ray, although to be honest, I've no ruddy idea

Does a Dipper dive in deep water Alan the ones ive seen are on stones bobbing up and down

[alanjns]

They are excellent swimmers, especially underwater.

[Dave Appleton]

It would perhaps help to understand where it was diving from. Was it returning to the surface of the water and diving from there, like a diving duck does for example, or did it hover above the water and dive from the air, or did it perch up on a branch or something between dives? When the bird dived, did it completely submerge? Could you tell if it went just below the surface of the water or if it went in deeply?

Did you hear a loud shrill piping sound as it flew off?

[gobbiner]

Originally Posted by Dave Appleton

It would perhaps help to understand where it was diving from. Was it returning to the surface of the water and diving from there, like a diving duck does for example, or did it hover above the water and dive from the air, or did it perch up on a branch or something between dives? When the bird dived, did it completely submerge? Could you tell if it went just below the surface of the water or if it went in deeply?

Did you hear a loud shrill piping sound as it flew off?

It wasnt diving from anywhere , it was in the water then every now and again it would pop under the water like a Duck would do, this is why i ruled out a Dipper but i could be wrong

[astafjevs]

Little grebe?