Immersive plunge for bored young dipper

Milldale, Derbyshire The adult whirred downstream. The juvenile, sat still for a bit, gaped, grew restless, then launched itself into the stream

The grassy east bank of the river Dove below the packhorse bridge at Milldale, in the Peak District, is popular with picnickers and we had to drift downstream to find a little space. Once prone, bagel in hand, I half dozed, half watched insects forming clouds over the river, catching sunlight like chaff.

But then I snapped awake as I realised I was being watched. A rich brown eye glistened as it fixed on mine from no more than three metres away - a juvenile dipper clamped to a broken branch jammed in the rocks, deep in shadow, breaking the flow of water.