Sunday 17 July 2011

Yet Another Mustelid!

It's been quite a time for close encounters with mustelids recently. First there were the Badgers seen by almost every group during the recent Robert Fuller Owl & Badger Safaris. Then a week last Thursday a Weasel dropped a Wood Mouse on the road outside Canal Scrape at Spurn, which I was able to photograph, by turning the car round & waiting patiently for it to return to its catch. Finally on Thursday my group were transfixed by a play-fight by 2 Stoats which were only about 20 feet from my group & which lasted for at least 5 minutes.


I'd heard a reliable rumour that Otters were regular evening sightings at a Yorkshire reserve, so I asked Robert Fuller if he'd like to try & see it. Sure enough we settled down with the reserve warden, and just after 8 o'clock some water birds suddenly took alarm, which was soon followed by various swirlings in the water, and finally by sightings of a swishing tale. I thought this would be all we would see, but eventually a dog Otter stuck its head out of the water for at least 3 seconds, and I managed to rattle off a few shots before he submerged once again. Although we waited for another 2 hours he didn't resurface, although a trail of bubbles indicating either the same or another individual was present was seen about an hour after his visit. Although we had one brief sighting this was the best view of an Otter I've ever had, and it was also the finest view Robert has had in the whole of Yorkshire. A very successful evening's mammal watching!


Otter


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