The good news (for me) is that I am now living back in Rooksbury, next to the Nature Reserve that was the catalyst for this blog.
The chance to move back to an amazing house came up and very surprisingly I could afford too.. That might not be true, but I'm here, and 'its only money' right?
The lakes are very different to the last time I lived here. Anyone who has suffered this blog will know that I have revisited regularly and been lucky to snap a few pics of the Otters, but other than that, In my opinion the lakes are a bit sparse of bird life. No Coots, Gadwall, and only the occasional Tufties. Not seen an Egret or heard a Cetti's in the 3 months I've been back, but pleasingly a Little Grebe is occasionally on the small lake and juv GC Grebe was on the Mill Lake at the early part of this week. Hopefully the birds stay and bring friends.
Why so void? Good question. My personal thoughts is that the Otter that still visit maybe raid the nests of the smaller eggs? Who knows...
Anyhoo. After 3 months (and lots of looking) I was yet to see the Otter since my return. One or two had been spotted, mostly a lone one, but then this Sunday things changed. And how!!
An early morning walk around the lakes to blow away one of the regular hangovers and I noticed some movement in the water on the river that runs past the main lake. (River Anton). The cause of this movement wasd no Moorhen, which have seemed to have done very well this year.
It was an Otter... family!
Yep, Mum had decided that she was going to bring this year's offspring down to the Lakes.
So back to Sunday.. I crouched down and watched 4 otter swim down stream. Lots of squeaking to each other, constant communication.
They stayed in the river for around 15 minutes and at one point they got separated. It was at this point mum went upstream to collect its youngster.
They then all went in to the undergrowth under a fallen tree and weren't seen again in the time I was there. Probably sleeping off the journey.
I posted on the Facebook page that I had seen 3 otter pups. This got a few people ringing each other and a few faces joined us on the lakes. And then, at around 11 am. I seriously needed some breakfast so headed home.
The first sighting, pups moving downstream.
And all four together.. Look at the eyes to see how they differ in size.
I was at most, 10 metres away? Not bothered.
A quick trip upstream to collect a calling otterlet..
And back to the temporary holt.
So what ya gonna do? Sit inside and watch crap on tv, or walk around your local nature reserve when you've been watching otters.. No brainer..
An afternoon walk and one otter was on the main lake. A long way off but caught a nice eel for lunch.
A quick sprint across the lake, a chat with the fisherman who it swam in front of but I couldn't locate it again. In Rooksbury there are a lot of channels, inlets and outlets on the lakes, perfect to lose yourself in - if you are an Otter.
Back home and another itching to get out on the lakes. Met with a friend for a lap but no Otter. Making my way home and I see movement in the Stew Ponds.. (Rooksbury used to be a Trout Farm) and then an Otter swims under my feet through a tunnel to Barlows Lake. So cool and just a tinsy bit scary. I could almost touch it! I managed to locate it as it left the tunnel and it was swimming off to the other side of the lake. A quick 'squeak' by me and it looked around and checked me out. Snap. Snap. Snap!
Couldn't get much better. Could it?
The next morning and another stroll around the lakes in the sunshine and something is sitting on a fallen tree, on the edge of the lake and probably about 5 metres away.. Duck. Got to be.. Almost too complacent to look, but my fellow photographer who is down for the weekend and strolling around the lakes with me does look.. Otter!!!
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