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Index of Subjects > This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. --B_3476278817_5584635 Content-type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Hello Bruce, I am also interested in Otters and finding opportunities to photograph them= . I was in the Shetland Islands (UK) last June and spent a couple of days wit= h an experienced local photographer and guide. He had a great deal of experience photographing Otters and we spent some time in amongst bird photography focused on Otters. Despite several sightings, we didn=B9t get any good photographic opportunities. However, it was fairly informative as my guide was very familiar with the local population and their behaviours. In that area (with a much higher population density of Otters), the Otters would define territories that covered up to several kilometres and would typically have several different networks of burrows within a territory. Frequently used territory is well marked by spraying/urination. There would be territorial differences between males and females with pups, with males covering a much larger area. The photographers in the Shetlands don=B9t use blinds a lot. They instead focus on working a shoreline during feeding and resting activity. The essential element is being downwind. What they would do is work across a headland to get a view of a long stretch of upwind shoreline, try to spot an Otter that is moving towards you, move into position while they are underwater, and let them come to you. Where to go, and what direction to approach is entirely dictated by wind direction. Photographing Otters, even in an area of high population is an exercise of patience, persistence and frustration. With that said =8B I=B9ve had almost no success locally. I try to keep my eye open for Otters in the area I frequent for birding and photography (the nea= r Eastern Shore =8A Lawrencetown through Grand Desert). Periodically I will see an Otter in the Lawrencetown Lake and West Lawrencetown Marsh area. I=B9ve seen none of the territorial markings and burrows that I saw in the Shetlands =8B presumably due to a lower population density (and lack of skill on my part). When I have seen Otters, it has been mostly in open areas, especially in the winter when things are frozen up. I=B9ve thought the best photographic opportunity would be during a fairly deep freeze when there is limited open water. The best sighting of an Otter I had this year was near Conrad=B9s beach where an Otter was actively feeding on crabs at a small opening of water for about 30 minutes. Of course, the camera was at home. =20 A local acquaintance says that during spring there is a small lake and set of streams, where he regularly see an Otter. He is an experience nature watcher and has promised to let me know if that Otter turns up this year. If you have found an Otter that is frequenting a specific area, then a blin= d may be a good approach. But as Darrell suggests, they probably cover a larg= e area and it may be a long wait. Canoeing/kayaking may be a great way to go. I=B9d love to hear how things go. Good luck! If anyone else has knowledge of local Otter behaviour it would be great to hear. Paul Evans From: Bruce Stevens <m.bruce.stevens@gmail.com> Reply-To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 2:56 PM To: "naturens@chebucto.ns.ca" <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> Subject: [NatureNS] Otters Hi All, I've recently been trying to photograph otters at several different locations in HRM, and so far I've only had marginal luck. I'm hoping some knowledgeable folks on here can offer some advice to tip the odds in my favour a bit. My current effort involves erecting a portable blind at a site I've found where one clearly comes ashore frequently as evidenced by scat. Are they most active at dawn and dusk in late winter? My reading suggests they becom= e more nocturnal as we move into spring. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Bruce Stevens Dartmouth, NS --B_3476278817_5584635 Content-type: text/html; charset="ISO-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <html><head></head><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: s= pace; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size:= 14px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><div>Hello Bruce,</div><div><br></= div><div>I am also interested in Otters and finding opportunities to photogr= aph them.</div><div><br></div><div>I was in the Shetland Islands (UK) last J= une and spent a couple of days with an experienced local photographer and gu= ide. He had a great deal of experience photographing Otters and we spent som= e time in amongst bird photography focused on Otters. Despite several sighti= ngs, we didn’t get any good photographic opportunities. However, it wa= s fairly informative as my guide was very familiar with the local population= and their behaviours. In that area (with a much higher population density o= f Otters), the Otters would define territories that covered up to several ki= lometres and would typically have several different networks of burrows with= in a territory. Frequently used territory is well marked by spraying/urinati= on. There would be territorial differences between males and females with pu= ps, with males covering a much larger area. The photographers in the Shetlan= ds don’t use blinds a lot. They instead focus on working a shoreline d= uring feeding and resting activity. The essential element is being downwind.= What they would do is work across a headland to get a view of a long stretc= h of upwind shoreline, try to spot an Otter that is moving towards you, move= into position while they are underwater, and let them come to you. Where to= go, and what direction to approach is entirely dictated by wind direction. = Photographing Otters, even in an area of high population is an exercise of p= atience, persistence and frustration. </div><div><br></div><div>With th= at said — I’ve had almost no success locally. I try to keep my e= ye open for Otters in the area I frequent for birding and photography (the n= ear Eastern Shore … Lawrencetown through Grand Desert). Periodically I= will see an Otter in the Lawrencetown Lake and West Lawrencetown Marsh area= . I’ve seen none of the territorial markings and burrows that I saw in= the Shetlands — presumably due to a lower population density (and lac= k of skill on my part). When I have seen Otters, it has been mostly in open = areas, especially in the winter when things are frozen up. I’ve though= t the best photographic opportunity would be during a fairly deep freeze whe= n there is limite