White-throated Dipper

Description:

Small, dark bird with a white patch on its throat.

Habitat:

Drumnadrochit is a village in Scotland, lying on the west shore of Loch Ness, at the foot of Glen Urquhart. To reach a restaurant in the village proper we had to cross a bridge over what I thought was a shallow stream but is likely River Enrick. It was almost seven PM and drizzling and light was fading. I was waiting for the others to catch up with me and just looked down hoping I would see something. I saw this bird...almost invisible in the gloom. The shadows of the tall trees on the rushing waters did nothing to aid vision...and the others of my family failed to see it even when I pointed it out. The bird was on a small rock...in the river. There were many such sony outcrops and I suppose it made a stable place from which to catch prey in the middle of a river. I am delighted to have seen this bird at all under the conditions when spotted...to top it off it is a lifer for me.

Notes:

Auto-corrected for better colour contrast