Otters in Shetland; ayoung family in early autumn





Here is a sequence of images from my most recent and one of my nicest sessions with an otter family this year. This was the first time Id spent with this particular family and I was really thrilled to see this mother, (Identifiable by scar on her nose and damage to left eye) who I thought must have a family by the sprainting activity Id noted on the couple of brief times Id passed through her range over the last couple of months. Going by her dates and when her last family separated and when I saw her with a dog otter (with notable amorous intentions!), I expected her to have cubs early this summer and sure enough, she does indeed. These two fabulous little fellows must be up around at least five months old now.

 



Its often difficult to keep track of all the many sites I work as my diary tends to be so booked up- (which is obviously fantastic of course). I need to use the sites that are most active in order to deliver for the guests I lead for. What tends to be the general pattern around otter sites or coastlines they inhabit is that while there is a family in the mothers range, they are active within it for the year or so they are together, (although patterns may vary throughout the seasons) then that site can and usually will be quiet for a time until the cycle repeats again. It is over such period I tend to avoid such a site as they can be so unpredictable (perhaps a daft thing to say as otters are rarely 'predictable'!)There is often little time to monitor the sites that have been quiet for a few months and now there are a few such sites I am starting to get around again. This is of course where the use of Bushnell cameras come in.... more on that later...

The light really was wonderful for this session. I was leading Italian photographer Mauritzio and partner Silvana. I refrain from setting out with my own gear when leading otter photography itineraries (and have done ever since I started) as my focus needs to be on the client however when someone insists and you've already had a few good days of the itinerary, you cant really say no! It would be plain rude! We were with them for over six hours, finding them just after mid day and not leaving them until approaching seven in the evening. One of the many fantastic aspects of working with otters on a Shetland shoreline is often the time that you can spend with an individual or a family. Watching them as they go about their routine without ever knowing you are there. Such a strange concept to think how utterly exhilarating and emotive such an experience can be to the observer, within a few metres of such a shy and fascinating animal and yet they are blissfully unaware of us or the joy they bring.

Its worth mentioning for anyone toying with the idea to get in touch for a visit to Shetland to do Otters with me that the diary for 2015 really is starting to fill in. Dates were booking up in any case but last weekends visit to the Birdfair in Rutland saw another few slots fill in.

Otters in Shetland July 2014, some pics from this season

 Its been a very summer for otter watching tours for me and an extremely busy season over all, hence the lack of time posting. Here is just a short selection of some images from through the last few months. Again this season I have been very thankful to also have Gary Bell and Richard Shucksmith lead tours as colleagues who have helped try to keep up with demand.  Having Molly Michelin, a photography student at Falmouth university working with us for a second season has been a huge help too and she too has led tours, and with a 100% success rate too! Nice work Moll ;)

 

 

 

Featured working on Otters on another TV documentary; Alsion Steadmans Shetland

I was delighted and proud to feature once again on a recent TV documentary to share our fantastic Otters here in Shetland. It was back in April I worked with the film crew working here on Shetland making the ITV documentary Alison Steadmans Shetland.

I worked with them for a few days and really enjoyed working with them for one of them on my heart felt favourites- Otters. On the day we were out tide times were hardly favourable; low water being at around 5:00am in the morning and then late afternoon. With this in mind I split the day into two sessions and had the crew and Alison of course (who was a delight to work with, as were the crew) out at first light.

We scored with one straight away at our first site although with a howling NW gale and squally sleety showers views were far from great and although myself and most crew saw it well, conditions were too rough for Alison to see it or the camera man to get footage.
In the afternoon we were a bit better with two encounters at two sights.

All in all it went very well and the program on the whole was great and every one featured, including my good friends and colleagues Richard Shucksmith and Helen Moncrief.

It was really cool working with another film crew on Otters in Shetland having worked on several over the years now, and this was the second film crew in less than a year after featuring on BBC's Countryfile last year too.

Read more on my Shetland Nature Blog http://www.shetlandnature.net/2014/06/20/alison-steadmans-shetland/

Shetland otters in early March

Its been a busy few weeks since my previous post in February with plenty of activity and action both with my own projects on otters here in Shetland and also with guests seeking to enjoy our otters and learn more about them.
This week I had the pleasure of guiding a regular client of mine who has become a good friend over recent years, this was his fourth Otter itinerary with me and what a week it was! Over our five day itinerary we saw over twenty otters and enjoyed some wonderful encounters. As usual I tried to vary the sites we used and so we visited five different sites, each with families. It is also worth stating that like all these assignments I put together for my guests, I targeted a week where the tides were most favourable, we were also lucky with the weather. It was great being out with Richard again, really good company. Last year one of Richards otter image was the runner up in the Scottish RSPB photography awards so I wish him well with this years results! You can see his image here https://www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/scotland/archive/2014/02/14/drum-roll-please-rspb-scotland-photo-competition-winners-announced.aspx
here are a few of the images I took this week. The last one is an image I that was almost what I have been trying to get for some time now- long exposure waves with a sleeping otter on the shore. Another attempt or two needed before I'll get what I want....

A passion for Otters: from Arizona to Shetland...

It never ceases to amaze me just how strong of a 'pulling power' Shetlands otters have and just how far people will travel to enjoy these magical mammals. This weeks guests Fiona and Jim are a classic example of this, having travelled from Arizona in the USA!  Fiona, like me is a self confessed otter addict and has been obsessed for many, many years. What was really exciting and fascinating about guiding them this week was learning of the similarities of Fiona's experience with watching 'her' North American River Otters, which she has studied so passionately.

It was a week that was about just watching and learning about otters behaviour and ecology, without the 'pressure' of photography, simply the Swarovski 10x42's round my neck and the scope over my shoulder, fantastic! It is always a pleasure and I am extremely fortunate to work with otters as I do but is is an even greater privilege when the company is so good!

What was also really exciting was that Fiona already knew so much about otters in Shetland, having read everything available on them by Hans Krukk and so had looked forward to and enjoying the whole Shetland experience of otters and was far from disappointed. We had an outstanding few days and in total saw 29 otters, each day visiting new sites around Shetland taking in as much as we could in four days of the diversity of habitats and locations they thrive in here. It has to be said however and as anyone with otter experience will know, this is a good number. Specifically targeting this week for the tides and Feb/March also helped make sure we had everything possible in our favour.

We enjoyed a fascinating variety of interesting behaviour and unique insights from watching a live monitor fed from camera in an artificial holt where a mother and cub slept, groomed and played; many hours of families foraging and at play; a courting couple and perhaps most exciting of all was on our last day- no fewer than ten otters! At the location we visited on that day we enjoyed not one but three families, two of which spent time together as the two mothers (each with two cubs) reassured themselves with the familiarity they clearly had with one and other. The above images were all taken on that day and the last image shows the two families settling down just a few feet apart, where we left them snuggling down to sleep. As it was their last day we decided it was a good idea for me to take my camera to hope for some photo's to take home with them and although it was raining when I took all these above, I'm so glad I took it, despite the weather!

For more information on watching otters in Shetland visit http://www.shetlandnature.net/otters/

Shetland Otter using ruined barn holt: Bushnel trphy cam footage

 



(note that blogger appears to compress a lot so best viewed as seen, not full screen)
I always find it fascinating and very rewarding working with otters throughout the year and although I am continually monitoring sites around Shetland and am watching Otters most, weeks of the year, it is often the information I get from folk that sometimes offers the most interesting behaviour. It is thanks to a very good friend of ours, Julie Thomson that I found out about this female using an old ruined barn as a holt, something that I have seen otters do many times and are well known to do. But Julie had seen it cross the road and head into a field on several times, each day in the same place coming and going.
After a bit of investigating I soon found where the otter was going by following her run and locating spraint. I set up the Bushnel (CCTV!), subtly tucked tight in along a dry stone wall and left it set for a fortnight and sure enough....

Next stake out is a friend of mines Hen house!

Shetland Otter family using bathing pool: Bushnel trphy cam footage

(please note, plays better as seen here, not full screen. Blogger appears to compress quality quite a bit)
Fresh water plays a crucial role in coastal living otters survival as it is imperative the salt water is cleaned from their fur. This mother and two cubs are visiting this small freshwater pool on most days as is a dog otter. These cameras are fantastic way to be collecting data and monitoring sites which is extremely useful when working on several projects at various different sites. Particularly if I have an image in mind or behaviour I would like to photograph, I gather footage over a period of usually two to three weeks to confirm whether or not they are doing what I think they are doing and if the shot I am after is doable. Some fresh water pools for example I have set up cameras on pools that are clearly active, only to see its used only at night- the camera records the data which in turn saves time.

Often you can see where otter activity is very obvious and an area is being used frequently but the camera footage gathers the data while you are busy on other things. I also use them to monitor sites which I can not visit as frequently as I would like. Using so many sites and working on so many families using such kit plays an integral role in being able to keep up to date with many, many sites which is key to be able to offer guests on my tours and photo assignments. Apart from that all though they are also just great fun!

I use three trophy cam's- but two of them recently packed in so am shipping them back!