As you may know we have been attempting over recent months to film otters at Radipole. In practise this has meant identifying sites that they frequent (as indicated by recent footprints and a liberal scattering of fragrant otter poo nearby) and then installing a camera trap in the hope that our quarry is still in the habit of visiting the site and that we're looking at the right spot. That last bit is where things can get a little uncertain – many are the times when the otters seem to be one step ahead of us in their nocturnal travel plans.
Patience is the key - there’s always tomorrow night, maybe they’ll be back then, or the next night... After all, it can sometimes take fair amount of time and effort in the first place - plus a bit of Heath-Robinson resourcefulness - to set up the equipment and train the camera’s gaze on a particular scene, so it takes a strong impetus to move it elsewhere after just couple of unfruitful nights.
Last week we had the gear set up at another promising spot beside a ditch which bore all the encouraging signs, but after a few days we had little to show for our effort. There was the occasional appearance of a heron*, as well as some crows and moorhens. As we surveyed the scene with wavering optimism about persisting with the same view for another night, Nick suggested a minor adjustment of swivelling the camera to point at the opposite bank where more footprints were in abundance in the mud.
It turned out to be a good move, as over the weekend otters triggered the video camera five times, and best of all, in one instance there were three of them roaming together as a group. In another shot a couple of them were messing with a small eel at the water’s edge. Here's a still frame of the threesome passing through.
We’re often asked how many otters are on the site – to which there is no definite answer but I guess we can now give a minimum figure with confidence - for last weekend anyway! We reckon this is a group of siblings – they won’t be here indefinitely as their parents will force them to move off and establish their own territories elsewhere. But for the time being we’re happy to have them around even if their old folks don’t take such a rosy view in the long term.
*Nothing wrong with herons – they’re great. Almost as great as cormorants.
you took your time to comment frank! Your holiday was no excuse...
Chris saw an Otter last night at Radipole and was his first proper view, so he'll almost certainly tell you about it later.
When you mentioned 'threesome' I started getting excited... and I wasn't disappointed! Seeing them out there in increasing numbers is great for the Reserve and it's fauna.
Seize the day!
Brilliant info. and great to have a capture too.