Otter Heaven Contd. (Day 6)

This was shot just a couple of hours after the cub on the shingle beach. I had walked back up the loch and found a mother and cub swimming along the shore. They were diving for fish and crabs and were constantly tumbling, porpoising, and playing. I checked the wind direction, but it was from the wrong direction. I huddled down and let them pass in order to be downwind. My jacket and trousers already had a couple of days worth of smelly seaweed rubbed all over them, so I was beginning to blend in a little.

I followed them along the shore, until they eventually tired and came on shore for a rub down and power-nap. This is really what I had come to photograph - more then one otter in the frame, rubbing down and looking spiky and fluffy. All this happened within a few metres of me. It is at times like this, that I feel so privileged to be a wildlife photographer.

I have so many intimate experiences already, but being so close to these animals while they are totally oblivious is a wonderful experience indeed. I shot frames sparingly - never enough to warrant a curious stare or to feel alarmed. As big and as cumbersome as the 600mm f/4 is, the shooting distance means I am much less likely to be discovered or even heard.
Most of the action occurred during the morning and I very rarely saw the otters in the evening. This was one exception and was on the same day as the 'rubbing down' sequence above... a very good day! Again, the same family of otters were out fishing in deep water. This juvenile male came to the rocks with a substantial catch. The wind was swirling and I was blind-sided by the rocks. I took the smaller lens (300mm f/2.8 IS L with 1.4x Tc) as the 600mm f/4 is just too big for the rock-climbing I am sometimes compelled to do.

Luckily, the otter was getting really stuck into its meal and was unaware of me clambering over rocks and sliding down barnacle encrusted boulders. I edged closer and closer and was finally in place to grab a few shots. It took so long to get there, he had nearly finished his meal. Otters do not naturally lend themselves to portrait shots but luckily the otter was directly head on.

I had about 5 mintues with this cub before my footing finally gave way and I slipped. Unfortunately it occurred just at the same time as the otter finished his meal, so it was now fully aware. I remained still and quite so he was not really alarmed. He dropped off the rock and dove for more fish. The light was fading and the day was over for me. It had been very successful indeed!