On a dry and calm Tuesday evening on April 15th 2018, I picked up my camera and lens - a Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 DG OS HSM - for a walk up the road towards an estate house, two miles along a single track road that is no more than 100 yards from a sea loch in some places to see what creatures of the evening I could find. I set off at around 19:30hrs (exact time I cannot remember but I’m going off the times I take the photos and a rough idea it would take me to walk to that particular spot when I take the images, also a good time to see if I could see one of my favourite animals [that was a long side note!]).
I saw a heron in the water not too far from the chalets I was staying in, and took a few of the best shots I’ve taken so far. Ok, the image quality isn’t as sharp as I would like it to be, but I was working in poor light conditions and they were the best I could get.
Trouble is that they become easily scared and they always fly away as soon as they spot you. Annoying creatures when you just want to photograph them. I’m surprised they’re this shy when it’s a holiday estate. They’re annoying little blighters.
On the way back half a mile from the estate house, I stumbled on to a cottage that looks out in to a bay into the sea loch. While I was looking out into the bay, and walking past, in the corner of my eye I saw a disturbance in the water close to the shore. I wondered what it was. I made my way down to near the waters edge and while I was looking, I noticed it again. I moved fowards more and something made a splash, I immediately looked up to see an otter. It was so close that I could almost touch it!
An amazing sight indeed.
I turned around and the holiday guests in the cottage were already looking out. I think I annoyed them a little bit that I stumbled across the otter, but I didn’t care. I needed photos and I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity! When it was underwater I walked swiftly on the rocks, sat down to keep a low posture to not scare the creature too much, and waited for it to return. I took some shots (photos not gun shots before you say anything). Underwater again, I stood up and walked a wee more and kinda fell walking up a steep rock. I stayed there until it majestically glided underwater again with hardly a ripple. By this time it moved a little further out from shore, but stayed in the area.
It went under again and swam towards a rock with a crab in its jaws. I think the first image below is one of the best one I’ve taken as it shows its teeth and whiskers in perfect focus.
It went underwater again, and a popped up a little further out with another crab.
After 5 minutes or so, the otter stayed on the rock and trotted up to dry land and eventually disappeared out of view.
All this talk on SpringWatch, AutumnWatch etc about you needing a hide to view these elusive creatures is just a complete joke. Otters WILL NOT scare easily if you’re calm and take your time in walking around. I’ve proven this here.
I was quite happy with myself I took much better photos of the otter and walked back to the chalet with a a big grin on my face knowing that I had accomplished something. It made me a little upset wishing my mum was there to see what I captured. I hope to take more images in the years to come. I do wish I had a better lens that doesn’t have to rely on having a lot of light as one of its main things it needs, but I guess I’ll have to make do with what I have until money allows.