I had been waiting for the water levels to retreat just a little before I started this year's observations. When I arrived at the site I was pleased to see that last year's hide was still standing and even though it was now, just a collection of camo material and sticks I managed to reform it back in to an acceptable hide. This is positioned over-looking a nest which remains from previous years, although not the one that they had used last year. This is my third year of studying Dippers on this stretch of river and in previous years I have discovered so much about their breeding behaviour. Comparing my notes, it was around this date last year when signs of breeding activity had commenced when I had seen two birds together. Activity had gradually increased in intensity as the month progressed. Today I was slightly disappointed not to see a bird in front of, or near the hide but this could have been due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, the water level is much higher than it was last year and looking at the bankside vegetation it seems that the water has been consistently higher than in previous recent winters. Also, in previous years the birds had been absent from the nest area during the late morning and afternoon and as my visit was in the late morning today this would follow the same pattern so I am not too concerned. On a large mid-stream rock that I know as a favourite perch I could see droppings which looked fresh, so it appears that Dippers had been in the area very recently. When I walked further down the river to the adjoining territory I had a close encounter with a Dipper and it was nice to see one for the first time this year.