And the firsts keep rolling in...

Today was my first sighting of a wild otter, not just one but four of them. A dog otter, female otter and two cubs. It wasn't quite the same as the thrill of a chance encounter as they were more than used to people and well known in the area but none the less it was amazing to watch them hunting for fish. Their high pitched squeaks of comunication from under the jetty where they spend most of their day was also amazing to hear, the clarity and volume made it an astounding sound to listen to. A pair of swans floated in and out every so often from the side lines in the hope of getting some attention but no one was even slightly interested in swans at the time, we were all fixed, attention sharp on the flick of a tail....bubble trails....and then surface of these stunning creatures only but a few meters from us. A few hours very well spent. Also noted, my first long tailed duck not far from the otters with thanks to Cain (holywell birding) and Geltsdale Wildlife Warrior for spotting and scoping it. Another good sighting of the day.
So here's my first post on otters and here's the best image I managed to get from the day.

250th sec, F2.8, iso 800, 170mm

Somehow the water turned green which I feel is much better than the usual grey/bluey tones. The colour lines in the water are from the reflection of the light jetty planks with the gaps in them becoming the black lines. It's an odd quirk with photography in that sometimes there are days when in the first few images or sometimes last few images I've taken somehow there has been one image in them that beats every image I might have taken all day. In one case the very last shot I took all day turned out to be the best. Take this image. It was the 13th image I took yet even though I took many more after that I never managed to capture better.

And the rest....

As with all wildlife it can be the source of great joy but sometimes also great frustration. Most of my shots were of the back end of an otter disappearing into the depths as unless your quick by the time its spotted surfacing, you've found it through the view finder, focused...and its gone again. Timing and practice...always more to learn.

If all goes according to plan with the weather I will be heading off tomorrow afternoon to see them again...