BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 135 



THE WATER OUSEL OR DIPPER 



EVERY river and nearly every highland stream is 

 haunted by this charming little bird ; and as he 

 rises at your feet and skims along the surface of the 

 water uttering his cheery note, " Tzeet, tzeet," he 

 presents a very pretty picture. No moor- 

 land is too wild, no height too great for the Dipper : 

 he will be found haunting streams almost at 

 sea-level, while at a height of 3,000 feet, where 

 the mountain silence is broken only by the occa- 

 sional croak of the Ptarmigan, the Water Ousel 

 suddenly rises from the source of some moorland 

 burn and flies rapidly off. 



Although the Dipper's call note is to be heard 

 any day, his song is comparatively rarely used, 

 but is of extraordinary sweetness, resembling to 

 a certain extent that of the Wren, but being much 

 purer and more liquid than that of the latter bird. 

 What gives it an added charm is the fact that it 

 is uttered all through the winter months, when 

 other birds are silent. Sometimes the Ousel sings 

 on the wing as he wends his way rapidly above the 

 stream, but his favourite spot when singing is a 

 large stone standing out into the stream. His song 

 appears sometimes to be used for the purpose of 

 calling his mate to his side. 



During the winter, when the weather is 

 severe and the moorland burns are to a great extent 

 snow-bound, the Ousels may often be seen on the 

 rivers near their estuaries, where I have noted quite 

 a number " working " the river together a state 

 of affairs which would not be tolerated during the 

 nesting season, when each pair of birds has a 



