Monday 19 December 2016

Otter Encounter

The rocky headland that forms the western arm of Port na Clachan, the bay below our house, is a great place to pass time on a sunny morning like this morning, particularly as it's a good vantage point from which to spot sea eagles and otters.

There was an otter there this morning, feeding a few metres off the point. Each time he dived it was possible to move a little closer, until it was evident....

....that breakfast today was crab, several of them, and some of them quite large.

Sadly, his hunting took him further and further out so, with a warm sun, a light breeze, and a swell coming in to the coast....

....I concentrated on catching the waves breaking, until one particularly big wave retreated to reveal....

....the otter running along the rocks towards me.

He didn't see me, scampering along until....

....he came to a small gully, not two metres away, where he hesitated....

....looked up, and saw me.

In two bounds he was back in the sea.

I would like to apologise to the otter for the fright I gave him, but would like him to know that he made my day.

4 comments:

  1. Brilliant! You'll never forget that encounter.

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  2. Wonderful. Had a similar encounter with an otter at Kilmory bay a few years ago - my first sighting of a wild otter - it came within about 8 feet. Still bore people with the story to this day ;-)

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  3. Made your day !, I bet it did. Glad to hear that your encounters still excite you, even after all these years.

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  4. Reminiscent of our otter experience at Bay Mcneil in 2015_ huge dog otter came onto the beach where we were sitting and walked to within 2 yards of us.Fantastic 'one off' experience!

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