Looking up, I see a little dipper in the middle of the river, evidently attracted by tame ducks, as to a place of security.
I sit down and watch.
The tame ducks have paddled four or five rods down-stream along the shore. The dipper approaches them by diving, and, in fear, they all rush to the shore and come out. The dipper shows itself close to the shore, and, when they enter the water again, joins them within two feet, still diving from time to time and threatening to come up in their midst.
They return up-stream, more or less alarmed, pursued in this wise by the dipper, who does not know what to make of their fears. Soon the dipper is thus within twenty feet of where I sit, and I can watch it at my leisure.
It has a dark bill and considerable white on the sides of the head or neck, with black between it, no tufts, and no observable white on back or tail.
When at last disturbed by me, it suddenly sinks all its body low in the water without diving.
H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 27, 1860
A little dipper in the middle of the river. See September 8, 1859 ("See the black head and neck of a little dipper in mid stream, a few rods before my boat. It disappears, and though I search carefully, I cannot detect it again. "); September 9, 1858 ("At length the walker who sits meditating on a distant bank sees the little dipper sail out from amid the weeds and busily dive for its food along their edge: Yet ordinary eyes might range up and down the river all day and never detect its small black head above the water."); September 30, 1858 ("I see undoubtedly the little dipper by the edge of the pads this afternoon . . . It is much smaller than I have seen this season, and is hard to detect even within four or five rods. It warily dives and comes up a rod or two further off amid the pads, scarcely disturbing the surface"); October 17, 1855 ("I see behind (or rather in front of) me as I row home a little dipper appear in mid-river, as if I had passed right over him. It dives while I look, and I do not see it come up anywhere."); November 21, 1858 ("See from Clamshell apparently two little dippers, one up-stream, the other down, swimming and diving in the perfectly smooth river this still, overcast day."); December 26, 1853 ("Saw in [Walden] a small diver, probably a grebe or dobchick, dipper, or what-not, ... It had a black head, a white ring about its neck, a white breast, black back, and apparently no tail.”); April 22, 1861 (" [Mann] obtained to-day the buffle-headed duck, diving in the river near the Nine-Acre Corner bridge. I identify it at sight as my bird seen on Walden. ") See also J J Audubon ("The bufflehead, being known in different districts by the names of Spirit Duck, Butter-box, Marrionette, Dipper, and Die-dipper, generally returns from the far north, where it is said to breed, about the beginning of September.") and A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The Little Dipper
H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 27, 1860
A little dipper in the middle of the river. See September 8, 1859 ("See the black head and neck of a little dipper in mid stream, a few rods before my boat. It disappears, and though I search carefully, I cannot detect it again. "); September 9, 1858 ("At length the walker who sits meditating on a distant bank sees the little dipper sail out from amid the weeds and busily dive for its food along their edge: Yet ordinary eyes might range up and down the river all day and never detect its small black head above the water."); September 30, 1858 ("I see undoubtedly the little dipper by the edge of the pads this afternoon . . . It is much smaller than I have seen this season, and is hard to detect even within four or five rods. It warily dives and comes up a rod or two further off amid the pads, scarcely disturbing the surface"); October 17, 1855 ("I see behind (or rather in front of) me as I row home a little dipper appear in mid-river, as if I had passed right over him. It dives while I look, and I do not see it come up anywhere."); November 21, 1858 ("See from Clamshell apparently two little dippers, one up-stream, the other down, swimming and diving in the perfectly smooth river this still, overcast day."); December 26, 1853 ("Saw in [Walden] a small diver, probably a grebe or dobchick, dipper, or what-not, ... It had a black head, a white ring about its neck, a white breast, black back, and apparently no tail.”); April 22, 1861 (" [Mann] obtained to-day the buffle-headed duck, diving in the river near the Nine-Acre Corner bridge. I identify it at sight as my bird seen on Walden. ") See also J J Audubon ("The bufflehead, being known in different districts by the names of Spirit Duck, Butter-box, Marrionette, Dipper, and Die-dipper, generally returns from the far north, where it is said to breed, about the beginning of September.") and A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The Little Dipper
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