Back in the beginning of March a pair of American Dippers built a nest on the bridge pillar featured in the photos below. About three weeks after they built the nest it was totally gone!!! I suspected that a pair of Ravens had destroyed the nest, in their attempt to eat the eggs. Whether it was Ravens or not, I'll never know. But the river between the pillar and the shoreline has been way too high and fast for a person to reach the Dipper nest. So it was probably the Ravens. Surprisingly, three days after the nest was possibly removed by the Ravens, the Dippers started building a NEW nest! In six days time, their new nest was completely built!!! It has been in place now for seven more days! Hopefully the Dippers will be able to raise some young in this nest! Fingers crossed! I'll keep you posted. Below are photos of the nest as it was being constructed over six consecutive days!

American Dipper Nest — Day 1

The following information about American Dipper nests, nestlings, and fledglings is from the Cornell website at https://birdsoftheworld.org. The text does not correspond with the photos, but I wanted to post what the raising of a young American Dipper entails! For more information on the actual construction of the nest, check out my blog, "Spring Sightings", on March 31, 2023.

“The nest is a 2-part domed or ball-like structure with side entrance. Canopy of dome may overhang entrance hole to keep out water. Outer shell of moss with small amounts of interwoven grass (both stems and roots) and leaves. Inner chamber globular with woven cup or pad, composed of grass and leaves, sometimes bark.

American Dipper Nest — Day 2

“Nest is well-insulated; seems adapted to control inside temperature (warm or cool, as necessary) and to keep inside dry. Thick outside mossy shell (3–5 cm thick) absorbs moisture; inside coarse grasses resist wetting.

American Dipper Nest — Day 3

Between completion of nest-building and laying of the first egg, 6–15 d lapse. Usually lays 1 egg/day, for a total of 4-5 eggs per clutch.

“Incubation period 14–17 d . Female develops a large brood patch and does all incubation. Male carries food to female on nest, but she also feeds herself . Baby birds are altricial, and born naked except for sparse down. Chicks stay in nest about 25 d, sometimes longer. Both parents feed the chicks.”

Your questions and comments are appreciated. Please feel free to email me at northyubanaturalist@gmail.com. Thanks!