A river nest and bath time

Who lives in a house like this?

It’s a huge domed nest made of moss in a river bank. It’s a Dippers’ nest. I spotted it a few weeks ago and have come back to have a discreet look. I think they’ve fledged. There’s no action here.

I plod upriver a little and see a Treecreeper bathing:

As I take photographs, I realise that next to it is a Dipper chick and an adult feeding it. The chick has a lovely striped breast, unlike the smart white of the White-Breasted Dipper. I didn’t get a snap shot before they were off downstream.

Wandering back I see a Grey Wagtail bathing.

And after the wash comes the blow-dry:

I think I need a haircut and a bath after seeing all that grooming, although at least I’m not the one crawling with parasites.