Fantastic light, what a night!

Re visited one of my favourite sites yesterday evening, a real wilderness. An endless stretch of remote and flat coastline where you are extremely unlikely to meet another soul, only otters! We arrived at the site with only a few hours of day light remaining, but the evening spring low sun light was truly fantastic. On our way out to the site, myself and good friend David Gifford, were treated to several Mountain hare, mid way between their winter and summer coats.

From some distance up on the hill side I spotted a family foraging in the ebe. The low evening sunlight was perfect as was the wind direction so we set off for the shore. Nearing the waters edge we still had good time to read the situation and suss out our most suitable location, most importantly a spot where we would not be seen by the family.

There was a clear choice for me of where the family would probably choose to haul out, (who were now moving towards us) , all three of their low profiled bodies on the beautiful mirror calm surface, each opening up the still water with their own wakes.

We stealthily moved into position, in good time too. My prediction was spot on, minutes later they were closing in, incredibly though, they had been joined by a fourth animal, a dog probably even their father. His head and especially muzle being much broader than that of the mothers. He swam along closely, interacting with out any distress from the mother before splitting off but by then, with the family moving in close and hauling out exactly where I thought they would, the adrenalin was pumping too fast to see where he went!

The mother left the cubs (which I reckoned to be about 5 or 6 months old) on the shore only a few meters from us and went out to forage, leaving the cubs to groom one and other and play on the rocks in the stunning evening sun light. After a while the cubs swam out to her then all returned to the same rocky outcrop then moved on along the shore- a perfect encounter!

By the time we finished up back at the car, only three hours later we had seen 8 animals, it is little wonder this is one of my top sites! David labeled the evening 'his best ever otter encounter!!'

Stealth Gear

I was absolutely thrilled to be given the opportunity to review the latest range from Stealth Gear (I will be writing a full review of this on our website at http://www.shetlandnature.net/ ). Not only was I excited about getting new out door clothing but also how good a development it was for 'Shetland Nature' to be provided with a brand of clothing as reputable as Stealth Gear http://www.stealth-gear.com/

With it being my first day out with the suit on, I was like a kid with a new football strip off for a kick about! The gear was far from disappointing and certainly lived up- managed to stalk myself into a fantastic encounter, down to about ten meters from a mother and cub. With my knee's and elbows and often behind, pressing into the salt water soaked seaweed, I would normally be sodden, but not a problem any more. This clothing has been designed by Wildlife photographers for Wildlife photographers- nothing has been overlooked! Anyway, as I say, I will be reviewing in full in the coming days on our site.

A grand day out

Finally managed to arrange a day out with my mate and birding comrade, Jason Atkinson http://at2h.blogspot.com/ to photograph otters. For a few months now we we have been trying to fit in a day that I would take Jason to one of the sites I visit and at last we nailed it, and a splendid day it was too- Seven Otters in total and we only covered half the site. It is quite common to visit that site and see double figures in a day.
The seven animals (three seperate encounters)cosisited of a fine dog and three families, two mothers with single cubs and one with two.

15th March

Had a close encounter with this dog otter today. Walking along the shore-line, a good distance along ahead of me, I picked him up swimming towards me, quite a distance off shore. The water was still and my attantion was quickly drawn to the bow waves of his wake. The tide was very low, leaving many reefs and rocky out crops exposed, one in particular is where I was almost certain he would be heading for. With this in mind i moved quickly as he dived under water (each time having about 15 seconds before he surfaced).

i managed to get myself tucked in and blend into the barnacle covered boulders, as usual, head to toe in camo clothing. I judged it well, each time he surfaced it was clear he was indeed coming straight for this rocky outcrop, one of his favourite haul ups. Many a' time I have watched him do exactly this, perhaps to doze off and curl up on the seaweed; taking a fish to shore to devour or maybe even just to spraint/sniff, read the signs and keep moving.

He stealthily approached, occasionally slipping underneath the blades of exposed kelp before emerging onto the rocks only 20 meters away. With the wind 'on shore' I was confident he would not pick up my scent, instead he went about his routine, sniffing the spraint points on the rocks, no doubt reading the many signs otters leave one and other using this method. He spainted and urinated on two seperat points then carried on his way in the direction he had been heading.

29th February

Shame about the light!

Visited a family I have not been to see for a couple of months now. On approaching their favoured stretch of coastline in the ,others range, I could hear the unmistakable and oh so familiar sound of the young dog cub's whistling squeak. There are few, if any sounds to be heard along the Shetland shores that kicks off my adrenalin levels like it! Most cubs, when awake and out of contact with their mother use this contact call, which can carry some distance, especially on a calm day. Even at well over a year old they use this call, which although adults are not often vocal becomes a much more subdued and quieter short yelp. The often whickering used confrontationally or even at play is more perhaps typical for adults

From a distance I scanned the shore and rocky outcrops and reefs exposed by the fallen tide. Sure enough, their he was, squeaking away, eagerly awaiting his mothers return- and no doubt hopefully with lunch!

By the time I got into position and had merged myself into the rocky shoreline, she had joined him. They groomed and played, typically of families do as if they had not seen one and other for weeks! After a few minutes she sneaked away to forage again, leaving him waiting, nervous as he watched for her return, not able to settle till she did.

She returned with a tiny sea scorpion, which he was not long in pollishing off. After more grooming and play they took to the watter, where they set to and played. Like many winter days, there was very little light and I was up to ISO 1600. But, the days are lengthening in a few months it will barely even get dark!!

A couple more images from Feb 24th

When editing through my images from the day with that family in the snow, I couldn't help want to add a couple more images.

Watching young cubs of this age at such close range for so long truly is a wonderful experience. Having a baby son of our own, who is only four months old, perhaps makes me relate on a new level as to how special and intimate the bond is between mother and cubs.

Otters at any age are captivating creatures, but at this young age, cubs are simply adorable!