Spent most of the day at one of my favourite sites today and saw the many of the usual otters I would expect to as well as one i had not seen for over a year, when I saw her for the first time, (almost on the exact same date). It could be that her normal range extends only to the furthest extremes of the range of coast there which i cover, which is where i saw her today, so i guess is most probably the case given the length and shape of coastline.
She was with a dog, not fully grown but probably over a year old. They seemed to be enjoying a good old tumble in the sea, which lasted a good few minutes before she seemed to have had enough and saw off his attentions, what ever they had been. He was unfamiliar to me also which led me to think that this was probably her own son from the previous year and all it had been was a brief reunion. If so he may travel many miles when he sets out to find a territory of his own.
I made a mental note to cover more of this coastline than I do.
It frustrates and excites me knowing that outside this particular stretch of coast here which I visit fairly regularly, there are other residents making up totally separate social structures. This is something that I and Im sure other otter lovers just have to accept as I know for me I would rather be familiar with more otters at fewer sites than the other way round.
On my way back, nearing dusk I see two otters up on the grassy bank in the distance, they look to be both adults engaged in some sort of a stand off. I crouch bellow the bank and set up my scope. One of them was back on so I couldn't make out any ID features, but the one that is facing me is a dog I recognise. They are a long way ahead of me but I can hear the 'yickering' chatters leading me to think its a bitch. He is crouched with his front end nearing the ground, almost submissively then he decides enough is enough and backs off. Rather disgruntled he climbs down off the bank and down into the watter and in the direction she was heading carries on her way in the opposite direction. Perhaps she is almost in season I wonder to my self as I head for home.
