An OTTER day out; (not hotter, not this time of year anyway)

I saw someone's fabulously clear otter photos, and had to pass not just an admiring comment, but a touch of envy as well. Although I have seen many otters in captivity, and on TV plus the big silver screen as it was once known with films like Ring Of Bright Water, which was based on the book Ring Of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell.

For many old enough to remember, otters were persecuted to extinction, like a lot of raptors (many raptors still are being persecuted), because of their staple diet being fish, and that aspect is portrayed in the film Ring Of Bright Water.

I have had a long time ambition to go and see one, or more if possible, plus, sometime I would like to visit the place where Gavin Maxell lived and some of the places where the film was made.

I have been asked to keep the location as quiet as possible, hence why its not been named in this initial posting, though where the otter was, was a very public place and looking at the ground, it has seen a lot of foot fall. So for now, I will keep it quiet.

But first, some of the other wildlife that I saw....

Yes, I'm being a tease, I know.....

There was that inevitable waiting game, but the great crested grebes were gliding across the lake elegantly as they do, diving to have breakie every so often. I had missed the courtship dance only minutes before I arrived.

A dinosaurmont airing its wings on one of the buoys on he lake

There were quite a few wigeon on the water

A pair of mallard drakes were having a fisticuffs over one female....

Then after a long while, settled down for a breather before starting on each other again!

The feeder stream was full of fish!

Much to the delight, or tease, of a heron, because the water was tooooo dep to wade....

Nope, the water isn't any shallower from the opposite bank....

A crow had its beady eye on me!

Mr & Mrs Goosander were looking good in the sunlight....

A dinosauromont

Taking flight....

Even great crested grebes can have a bad hair, no make that feather day....

You know the old saying, patience is a virtue?

With the kingie it most certainly was, if I never got a photo of an otter, this would have made the day worth its while

Uncropped and no extender

The following kingie pics are cropped, and no extender

a photogenic bum!

Now for the prize of the day, not brilliant photos, but a sighting and piccie nonetheless, what I'd gone to see, an otter

This one is cropped,

A fabulous day, not only did I see and manage to grab a piccie or two, and otter, but a posing kingie at close quarters as well.

I shall return, and fingers crossed now I know where they are, I'll get some more photos and hopefully clearer.