Every small river deserves to have its kingfishers. And every suitable one should entertain a dipper. No flashy colours with this bird, but a quiet reassurance in its habits. It perches on a stone, which stands above the water level dipping or doing a regular knees-bend, then plunges into the stream where, if you are close enough, and the water is clear enough, you may see him swimming, using his wings, or perhaps walking on the gravel at the bottom, poking after his food. This is, preferably, caddis larva - what some fishermen call corbait - and consists of the grub covered in tiny particles or sand and stone. The bird will dash these against a rock or shake them hard to get to the meat inside either for himself and his mate or for the young, in early spring when they hatch. But it is the dipping and diving and bobbing and the very feat of swimming under water, using his wings like a human swimmer doing a fast stroke, that gives him distinction. Kingfishers tend to dive and come up quickly. How long a dipper can stay under water is a matter for argument. In 1986 Kenneth W. Perry published his excellent book The Irish Dipper with detailed pictures and diagrams and a long experience of following the bird. Some photographs in colour showing the cinclus cinclus, to give him his Latin name, in action. Various names have been put on the bird. Rev. Charles William Benson in 1886 wrote a book in which the following names were given: cinclus aquaticus; Cincle Plongeur; Wasser Amsel; Water Ousel; Water Crow; Water Blackbird; Kingfisher (!); River Pye.
While the bird may look black at times, especially after diving, it is in fact a rich brown with a bib of white and, towards the belly, ruddy or chestnut. You don't get so many in central Ireland where rivers tend to be big and slow-moving. Typical dipper country is the mountain stream with stones standing out of the water. It nests often under bridges in the stonework. Breeds very early in year, perhaps the earliest of birds. Rev. Benson claims he even heard a dipper singing "perched upon a piece of ice floating gaily along". A small stream to the rear of Cave Hill in Belfast, the Borora in Meath, the Dodder and many places in the West harbour it. So, not long after Christmas, expect to hear it zit-zit-zit, as Cabot puts it. Bit like stones clinking. But it does also have a warbling song. Kingfisher, dipper and grey wagtail make a fine trio on your bit of water.