I was looking for something to do bird-wise for a couple of hours this Sunday morning and so I decided to try again for the Dippers on Westleigh Brook in central Leigh. This time I was more successful as I immediately saw one fly off under the new Sportsman's Street footbridge when I looked over the new flood barrier walls and down on to the weir.
So I carried on walking and looked down from the footbridge towards the old Twist Lane road bridge and there one was perched on the side of the brook. Unfortunately this is the darkest stretch of the brook with high sided buildings on either side letting in very little light.
The water was much shallower here than last time I came and more rocks were showing through the water's surface - ideal for Dippers to use for standing whilst feeding.
It flew to a shallow bit in the middle of the brook and then I lost it and didn't see it again today. This is a place to which I'll be coming back many times because it's ideal Dipper breeding territory. Dippers and bridges over fast flowing shallow stream go together like peaches and cream. And better still, it's only fifteen minutes from home.
However on my way back to the car I found a Grey Wagtail again and a pair of Mallards.
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