Old timer

A real heart warmer today, a long journey but worth the trip! Had an awesome encounter with one of the oldest otter I know, she is at least seven/ eight years old, which is a good old age for a Shetland otter although they can live for double and over that.

After a very long walk there, nearing a headland which i know to be one of her favourite haunts I could hear the anxious and oh so familiar squeaks of a cubs contact call. I had deliberately planned my approach for a favourable wind direction. At first I could hear the cub but not lay my eyes on it but soon realised it was well up on the grassy bank, well away from the boulders of the beach. I very slowly moved toward the peaty bank above the beach where from I knew would be able to make a secret approach, at times like these ( and every time is as exhilarating as my first ever encounter) you fail to realise your knees, elbows and often everything is soaked through, but you dont care!

Soon after I began to crawl on my belly bellow the bank I caught site of an adult swimming for thew shore, seemingly to answer the cubs calls, but to my surprise it was a dog. He headed straight up to the young cub but after a quick sniff surely realised the cub had nothing to offer and left as quickly as he'd arrived. Barely minutes later the seeks were answered, surely this would be mother... She left the water only but a few meters from where I lay, clad head to toe in cammo, even balla clav and gloves(nothing compares to this for close encounters)!

I was absolutely thrilled, I new her instantly as a very old girl indeed, a Granny, Great/Great Great Granny at least! Her scars on her nose are immediate recognisable even at distance.

It was one of my favourite encounters of the year and that's saying something! I even photographed the cub suckling. After watching for quite some time totally unaware that I lay only but a few meters away, they sprainted and set off inland up an old stream, I let them leave before slipping away unseen.

New arrivals of an old friend

Took a friend out today to a site Iv not been at for many weeks. It was perfect timing, the light was good and the tide was falling. Scanning ahead at all the lie up's I know in that area I managed to pick out two small and dark bundles of fur laid out on the grass at a regular spot, to the un-trained eye these would barley have been thought to have been rocks let alone anything else. But there was no mistaking it, this was definitely young cubs, fast asleep while mother forages close by.

The wind direction and lay of the land was ideal, allowing us to begin our approach. But it was very clear that we would limit our distance, I can think of nothing worse than disturbing these adorable and wonderfully wild creatures.

Typically, after lying in wait for the cubs to waken the clouds built up and the light had slipped away, but wait we did. Whilst lying in full camo gear amongst the boulders and Bladder wrack seaweed I excitedly wondered who the mother would be, I was nearly sure I knew but I also knew of another in the area who should have cubs of a similar age by now (about four months old).

Eventually of course, after an hour or so the cubs slowly revived into an energetic bundle of bites and tumbles! And when mother appeared from the water, she was who I thought, moments like those it feels like you've just met a relatives baby for the first time, but if she knew we were there I wonder how she would see us?

Long time no see!

It seems like weeks, even months since I had the chance to spend time in the ebe with my camera and my favourite friends, oh yes- that's because it has been!

All for very good reason though, my wife and I had our first baby only four weeks ago, a beautiful boy we named Casey, a very special time indeed.

As for the month or so before the birth it was as you can imagine a busy time. How wonderful it has been over the last week or so though to be back amongst Otters. I managed to squeeze in a few visits around the isles to some of my favourite sites. Any how, il keep it short and get some images up!

These were taken last week, this dog's presence was given away by the Hoody crows waiting patiently for any left overs from the Sea scorpion he soon devoured. I followed him for a short while, watching him haul up on the grassy bank to groom before he slipped away round a head land. He is fully grown at 3-4 years old. The shape and lay of the coastline could not allow for an unseen aproch so I just kept my distance.

Late July

Late July

July

June