Dipper update
Post categories: Springwatch,Ìýbirds
| 10:55 UK time, Monday, 1 June 2009
Sad news after the weekend as the three dipper chicks all succesfully fledged but one drowned as it became entangled in the grill which the birds had to fly through, to escape to the outside world from the relative safety of their nest.
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The chick actually recovered initially and was being fed by the parents but sadly drowned on its second attempt.
The other two chicks made it out but have since disappeared, despite the parents still being around; so it's feared that they may have been taken by predators or also drowned.
The young birds would normally still be very visible around the nest site for a week or so and very much dependent on mum for food.
The fact that they're not around, doesn't bode well for them.
I'll continue to keep an eye out for them though and let you know if we have a happy ending to this story...
Gull
Comment number 1.
At 4th Jun 2009, LazyRizzo wrote:The film of this sequence of events is creating mayhem and some very violent opposing viewpoints over on the main messageboard.
For what it's worth, my family thought it was all marvellously filmed, and heart wrenching to watch, but I don't think Simon and team did anything wrong, or didn't do enough/act faster. Sad fact of nature, but it seems some folk would prefer it all Disneyfied.
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Comment number 2.
At 5th Jun 2009, Chulatt wrote:Why oh why did the member of the film crew take so long to intervene, when it was apparent that it was not interfering with the law of nature? Just a humane helping hand earlier than was given could have saved the life of the bird and stopped the horrible suffering of it drowning in front of the film crew.
Very sad and upset and don't quite understand how people could stand by observing and filming when the little fella obviously was in such trouble.
Avid viewer of the show and love the content you provide, but was very disappointed with your take on when and how it is appropriate to intervene.
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