Essex, MT- As the waters of Essex Creek continued to lower as summer progressed, areas that were once wild with white water and treacherous became accessible to one carefully wading. Steven Kramer took the opportunity to explore the now-accessible creek-bed.
"I started at the bridge, and then waded downstream." Steven Kramer said when interviewed by the Kramer Paper, "I was about halfway down when I saw the bird." Steven, described it as a grey bird,with a strange habit of bobbing its body up and down whenever it moved.
"I was curious," Steven said, "I had never seen anything like it. I thought it was a female thrush of some kind." Curious, he followed the bird down the canyon. "It seemed to be leading me somewhere," he said, "Every time I saw it, it would fly further down the creek,as if waiting for me."
Whether it was truly leading him anywhere may never be known, but he finally lost track of the bird when he arrived at a part of the creek with a waterfall, beautiful prismatic pool, rock piles, and a log that made a nice bench. "It was beautiful," Steven said, "I stopped there for about half an hour, and returned many times for the rest of the summer. I built a fort there and everything! it was like I was a settler. I named everything! Perhaps I got a bit too carried away."
The bird, later identified as an American Dipper (Cynclus mexicanus) was spotted several more times, and Steven went out of his way to give the bird its space. "I felt like it had led me there, like it had shared its favorite place with me. I wanted to respect it in exchange." Steven nicknamed it "The Dippers Place" in the bird's honor. Visits to the spot continued as long as they were possible. The Sheep Fire ultimately ended these excursions. "I might go back some day," Steven said, "I'd like to see how it changes over time." -KP
"I started at the bridge, and then waded downstream." Steven Kramer said when interviewed by the Kramer Paper, "I was about halfway down when I saw the bird." Steven, described it as a grey bird,with a strange habit of bobbing its body up and down whenever it moved.
"I was curious," Steven said, "I had never seen anything like it. I thought it was a female thrush of some kind." Curious, he followed the bird down the canyon. "It seemed to be leading me somewhere," he said, "Every time I saw it, it would fly further down the creek,as if waiting for me."
Whether it was truly leading him anywhere may never be known, but he finally lost track of the bird when he arrived at a part of the creek with a waterfall, beautiful prismatic pool, rock piles, and a log that made a nice bench. "It was beautiful," Steven said, "I stopped there for about half an hour, and returned many times for the rest of the summer. I built a fort there and everything! it was like I was a settler. I named everything! Perhaps I got a bit too carried away."
The bird, later identified as an American Dipper (Cynclus mexicanus) was spotted several more times, and Steven went out of his way to give the bird its space. "I felt like it had led me there, like it had shared its favorite place with me. I wanted to respect it in exchange." Steven nicknamed it "The Dippers Place" in the bird's honor. Visits to the spot continued as long as they were possible. The Sheep Fire ultimately ended these excursions. "I might go back some day," Steven said, "I'd like to see how it changes over time." -KP
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| "Fort Autumn" a fort made of river rocks, and driftwood, was a shelter constructed above the waterfall in late summer |
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| "Angel's Rest Pool" a deep and cold swimming hole. The log that served as a bench is in the background. |
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