Otter tracks and sign.

[Bushwhacker]

Here's a few from when I've been out surveying.

Track - hind pad inlaid on the fore.
1955

Bit scratchy this photo - 2 fore pads. I was hunched under a bridge and in poor light so tried to use a torch in one hand and camera in the other.
1958

Spraint on rock - fish diet.
1957

Spraint on rock - crayfish diet.
1959

Close up - very red in colour.
1956

[Bushwhacker]

Predation upon crayfish and either young coot or moorhen.
1964

Predation upon waterfowl and fish.
1965

More crayfish - claw is evident.
1966

Nicely used crossing.
1967

[Martin]

Nice pics there BW, thanks for sharing. :)

Martin

[JonnyP]

I love that crossing..
Who were you surveying for..?

[Bushwhacker]

I love that crossing..
Who were you surveying for..?

It's with the Dorset Otter Group (DOG) - a couple of these pics aren't listed as survey sites, but it's a hobby of mine to go round checking out other places anyway.
Next quarterly survey is this Saturday.

[Savagewolfrm]

Ere Bushwacker, these here otters, are they left or right footed, just wondering which would be tastier lol
Great pics and info thanks for taking time to share
Rick

[Bushwhacker]

Ere Bushwacker, these here otters, are they left or right footed, just wondering which would be tastier lol
Great pics and info thanks for taking time to share
Rick

They have great dexterity given their ability to hold and manipulate items in their fore paws.
Better stick to the left leg of a hog I reckon. I don't think otters taste all that great although I did have a Chicken Tarka once - a bit like a Chicken Tikka but it's a little 'otter.

[JonnyP]

lol.. good one

[Adam Savage]

Again, great piece of knowledge sharing mate.

[Ashley Cawley]

Great photos, I loved the last crossing one! :)

[Bushwhacker]

Here's a few more.

Feeding on crayfish.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/16072011572.jpg

More prints.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/16072011556.jpg

Regular sprainting site.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/16072011550.jpg

[Adam Savage]

So that's where my pocket knife went... :p only joking.

Nice images as usual, keep them coming.

Adam

[Bushwhacker]

Some more different sign.

Freshwater mussels.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/01102011680.jpg

Slide.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/01102011688.jpg

[Adam Savage]

You always spot the stuff us mere mortals miss. :)

[Bushwhacker]

After all that here's the proof in the pudding.


http://s883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/?action=view&current=PICT0022.mp4

[Adam Savage]

Awesome stuff mate. Take it you got yourself a trail cam then :). Well done.

[Bushwhacker]

More different sign from my recent survey.

Run from/to the water.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/Run.jpg

Castling - raking up of the grass and depositing of spraint. There's 3 spraints in here.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/OneofthreespotsalongtherunSeveralspraintsonthisone spot.jpg

The run continued to cut off a large bend in the river estuary and the other exit/entrance point is marked.
(I traced a very faint and spazzy line in MS Paint)
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/Runacrossfield.jpg

[Adam Savage]

Nice work again Paul. You're always spotting the things, most would miss :)

[raycea123]

otters are great animals is just a shame they hade the stupidity to release them in cornwall where there is no river system to support there diet and they have decimated many of the fisheries in cornwall. going by the general cencus of anglers down here it wont be long before you here alot of tales of dead otters. its a real shame that they didnt put more thought into where they released them.

[Bushwhacker]

otters are great animals is just a shame they hade the stupidity to release them in cornwall where there is no river system to support there diet and they have decimated many of the fisheries in cornwall. going by the general cencus of anglers down here it wont be long before you here alot of tales of dead otters. its a real shame that they didnt put more thought into where they released them.

For a start, who are "they"?

Now, would you park an expensive car on your driveway and leave the keys in it? No. So why do fisheries moan when they lose expensive fish without taking the correct preventative measures? Beside, cormorant, heron and crayfish are more likely to affect fish stocks than a single otter.
I recently visited a coarse fishery where they had a problem and to look at the measures taken and they have done an admirable job - everybody's happy.
If you take a look at the photos you'll see how cheap and simple the solution is.

Mesh fencing.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/30012012863.jpg

Low electric fence.
http://i883.photobucket.com/albums/ac40/Bushwhacker78/30012012862.jpg

[moontanboy]

As per your other threads thanks for sharing this rare / hard to find knowledge.
Otters are pretty high on the list for UK critters that I want to see/photograph, I'll probably still need huge amounts of luck and patience but at least now I have a much better idea of what to look for.

Cheers
P

[AL...]

We are real lucky with Otters here .. There are 3 on a stretch of the River Don and they are wonderful to watch.
Other great thing that I have noticed about them being there is the lack of Mink . 5 years ago the same part of the river was moving with the wee beggers!


Cheers
AL

[airbornelondon]

great pics mate

[Bushwhacker]

We are real lucky with Otters here .. There are 3 on a stretch of the River Don and they are wonderful to watch.
Other great thing that I have noticed about them being there is the lack of Mink . 5 years ago the same part of the river was moving with the wee beggers!


Cheers
AL

The absence of mink can be attributed to the otter. They're fiercely territorial and will not tolerate them.
We found a dead mink last year with its genital area badly mutilated - a favoured form of attack by the otter.

[AL...]

I dident know that Mate Thanks for the info . I did know that the Otters would seek out Mink nests and go for the kits.
Next time I find a dead mink (and not one my terrier kills) I'll check it out

Cheers
AL

[Bushwhacker]

It's also how they combat other rival otters. There have been some sent for autopsy that have had these bites.
They could be swimming along all nicely one minute, the next they're being attacked from below water.
Some autopsies have shown drowning from inhaling water or even bits of pond weed in the lungs which has either drowned them or caused pneumonia (should they escape).
The first natural reaction is to 'gasp' (I would probably scream too!) if you were being bitten on the wiener and dragged under water.

[AL...]

LOL aye me too Thats a sneeky way to deal with an intruder for sure

Cheers
AL

[Bushwhacker]

Haven't put any more different tracks and signs here for a while. So, to make the collection a little more comprehensive..........

Potential holt site and a run. The Sycamore roots provide excellent cover due to the spread out nature of them. Willow is not so good as the root system is very tightly packed. A hole can be seen in the roots and there's a run to the left.
10550

Predation on duck egg - tooth mark can be clearly seen.
10551

Some very tiny fish bones covered in white anal jelly.
10552

Very fresh anal jelly, brown in colour this time. About 200 yards upstream I had disturbed the otter which was on a tree branch hanging over the water.
The jelly is produced from a gland in the anus and can take on a variety of colours. The scent is unique to each individual otter
10553

This signal crayfish got its tail munched off.
10554

[Adam Savage]

T^

[chris1000]

Awesome impressions, especially the crossing. Thanks for sharing!