Country diary: ringing of the dippers

Allendale, Northumberland: The licensed ringer reaches up into the nest, a dome of moss wedged between a concrete beam and the curved underside of the bridgeA mallard is plodging in a shallow pool among rocks exposed and whitened by the lack of rain. Dusty coltsfoot leaves edge the burn, a small tributary of the East Allen, and, in damp places, pink lady's smock grows through vivid yellow-green patches of crosswort. The low level of the stream makes it easier for Charlotte Reid, a licensed bird ringer, to carry her wooden stool under the bridge that spans the quiet valley road. Continue reading...