The American Dipper, or Water Ouzel, is the continent's only aquatic songbird. These birds are about the size of a Robin, but a bit rounder. They casually plunge into torrential waters to feed on small fish, salmon eggs and aquatic insects, among other things. They can even they use their wings to swim to the bottom of the river, then walk along the riverbed and flip stones while they're down there to uncover prey. 

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American Dippers can be seen year-round in Nootka Sound, on just about any river in the area.  They are one of the earliest breeders of the region's birds. By mid-January males are singing and claiming stretches of river as their territory.

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​In this photo, the motion of the rushing water was captured using a slow shutter speed. Capturing motion in the water while keeping the bird sharp took many days of attempts.  

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