Otters

This morning, I was out by the river as the sun rose. I was there to meet with a chap that I have know for the last two years or more. But only since moving to the village. While many of the people in and around the area will claim to know about the wildlife in the area, this person I have felt for a long time really does. Unfortunately there are a few people who express knowledge but may not have the best interests of the wildlife at heart.

Therefore, he and I have both been cautious of each other. As he too was fully aware that people come along profess some knowledge and an interest in natural history, yet seem to have ulterior motives, be this poaching or badger bating. Also as I am a keen wildlife photographer and video, he was concerned that I was likely to cause disturbance in pursuit of an image or a film sequence. Therefore he wanted to be sure that my interest was genuine and that I was responsible.

I had suspected for a while that he had greater local knowledge than he had ever admitted to, but as I too am frequently taciturn regarding the locations where the wildlife is active, I fully understand his caution.

This morning he was much more open and took me to a location that I had not known about, were we saw Otters. Not just Otters but a family of them. As the Holt is on private land I had not known it was there, I had suspected, but as I had no access I could never be sure. I have not yet been given to film or photograph them, but I hope that will come from the landowner. It was a wonderful opportunity to observe the Otters.

He told me that I was quite lucky to have seen Otters on the river at all and in the places I had discovered them, as simply there is far to much human disturbance most of the time. While I was aware of this, I was genuinely excited to see the otters. It was this enthusiasm that made him cautious of me and my motives. However, over the past couple of years he has developed a respect for me and realises that I do have the best interests of the wildlife at heart.

There are a couple of other places that he may be able to take me too, should permission be gained, and he will try to get the owner of the land where the Otter Holt is to grant permission for me to film the Otters. I can understand the need to protect the Holt, but even if it is not granted it was magical seeing the Otters there.