Otters in Shetland (pics added 30/10/2024)

Stuart Philpott said:
cheers again for sharing john, they are a real joy to see. We watched both vids they seem really relaxed with you. Are they all like this in Orkney,is it you particularly they are used too or your having to use a lot of fieldcraft type stuff to get this close?
stu
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Never seen an Orkney one ;) It does take a fair bit of fieldcraft to get these encounters - if they get startled they will disappear in a flash. If you remain very stealthy, quiet and downwind you can get very close - though it's best to be in position and ready for them to approach me instead. They have their favoured areas so once I'm familiar with a particular stretch of coast then I'll have a good chance of decent views.
Thanks,
John
 
Jees John , wrong island DOH,holds head in shame, it's not like I didn't have any clues:LOL:

Sorry mate was rushing to fit some hare stalking, in to a mad weekend please forgive.

John serious thanks for the notes. I've had very little contact with wild otters,but I'd love to make spend a while with them one day. They are around here,although I'm probably as far from the sea as one can get,in the midlands. A few years back I got to watch one fish (hunt) from the top of a mill, roof . Otter was say 12 feet all but directly below in the mill stream,crystal waters hunting chub well I think chub red fins. A magical lunch break your images always remind me of . Do you think they see the white blobs of hands and face john ??

wonderful thread all credit.cheers on the hows John. It's rare one can speak to a guy who so consistently makes otter pics,forgive the questions

Ha wrong island that's funny:LOL:

stu
 
Stuart Philpott said:
Jees John , wrong island DOH,holds head in shame, it's not like I didn't have any clues:LOL:

Sorry mate was rushing to fit some hare stalking, in to a mad weekend please forgive.

John serious thanks for the notes. I've had very little contact with wild otters,but I'd love to make spend a while with them one day. They are around here,although I'm probably as far from the sea as one can get,in the midlands. A few years back I got to watch one fish (hunt) from the top of a mill, roof . Otter was say 12 feet all but directly below in the mill stream,crystal waters hunting chub well I think chub red fins. A magical lunch break your images always remind me of . Do you think they see the white blobs of hands and face john ??

wonderful thread all credit.cheers on the hows John. It's rare one can speak to a guy who so consistently makes otter pics,forgive the questions

Ha wrong island that's funny:LOL:

stu
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They’ll definitely spot movement (especially silhouettes or highly contrasting colours/shades) from several hundred yards away. Up close I try to be as flat as possible or under a bank with just the camera visible, and usually wear a hat and gloves as well as drab clothing. They are very alert to movement, scents and unfamiliar noises.

One of the ones I posted above approached to within about 3 feet before it seemed to become aware of me - it didn’t run off but just wandered a few feet further away before rolling around on the weeds.

I don’t know how they behave on rivers - all my local ones are seaside dwellers and hunt around low tide. They’re rarely seen at high tide. If you can find fresh Otter poop then it may be worth sitting a few hours and see what you can see [emoji106]

John
 
a close tie between 91 & 93 for me! That 2nd video is so good!

Was visiting friends in Somerset last weekend & we went to Tarr Steps and i got really excited as the info board said we might see otters, but sadly not.
 
dan_yell said:
a close tie between 91 & 93 for me! That 2nd video is so good!

Was visiting friends in Somerset last weekend & we went to Tarr Steps and i got really excited as the info board said we might see otters, but sadly not.
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I wouldn’t know where to start looking for Otters on a river - probably very hard to find them? I guess their behaviour is different to the tidal ones I’m used to.
 
crieffy said:
I wouldn’t know where to start looking for Otters on a river - probably very hard to find them? I guess their behaviour is different to the tidal ones I’m used to.
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i've no idea if they would be seasonal either - if i'd have known i'd have done some research :)
 
What an absolutely incredible thread, truly stunning photography of a fascinating animal.
 
Beautiful shots of my favourite mammal that I only get to see on my now rare dive trips to the West Coast of Scotland around the Sound of Mull.
You are indeed fortunate and thanks for sharing them, stunning.
 
Finally, in Scotland we can venture more than 5 miles for "recreation" - so I headed off to check out some Otter spots for the first time in too long...

100/
Otters, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

101/
Otters, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

And in the morning we had some Orcas slowly cruising up the coast...

102/
Orcas, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

103/
Orcas, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr


And some footage a couple of fisherman got... #weneedabiggerboat
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=202626677713754
View: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=202626677713754
 
104/ Otter and Brown/Edible Crab - something that had never been seen locally before, and this Otter caught two!
Otter, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

105/
Otter, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

106/ Same Otter grooming later..
Otter, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

107/ I was suppposed to have a couple of clients out yesterday, which happened to both their birthdays! Unfortunately the trip had to be cancelled due Covid-19, so I went out anyway and will be sending them a few photos.
Sleeping Otters, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

108/
Sleeping Otters, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr

109/
Sleeping Otters, Shetland, July 2020 by John Moncrieff, on Flickr
 
Back lit with autumn leaves (which I'm guessing it's really seaweed..? But looks very Autumnal here!) it's just beautiful!
 
Amazing set of images - I could view them over and over.

I love watching the Otters on the river near our home.
I got really close to one a few years ago.
I had on the 300 f4 and the Otter was too close for me to focus on it.
An amazing experience!!
 
Otterly lovely :)


What a delight it must be to observe them in their that wonderful habitat.....................beautiful creatures, thanks again for sharing them with us at TP :jaffa:
 
Shugpug said:
Back lit with autumn leaves (which I'm guessing it's really seaweed..? But looks very Autumnal here!) it's just beautiful!
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Hi, yes, seaweed - leaves (and trees) are a rarity here


mstphoto said:
Amazing set of images - I could view them over and over.

I love watching the Otters on the river near our home.
I got really close to one a few years ago.
I had on the 300 f4 and the Otter was too close for me to focus on it.
An amazing experience!!
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Box Brownie said:
Otterly lovely :)


What a delight it must be to observe them in their that wonderful habitat.....................beautiful creatures, thanks again for sharing them with us at TP :jaffa:
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Foxbat Flyer said:
The thread that keeps on giving! Excellent photographs John - brightened a grey day.
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Many thanks - I hope to be adding more soon. Nice new Nikon D850 to practice with.
 
Great to see you photographing these again and updating us, wonderful images.
 
Lovely images John- I missed out on a 2 week trip to Mull I planned - bloody Covid :mad:

Lets hope things get better soon and I can re-arrange

Les
 
Lez325 said:
Lovely images John- I missed out on a 2 week trip to Mull I planned - bloody Covid :mad:

Lets hope things get better soon and I can re-arrange

Les
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We're due there May 15th. plus Chanonary Point (dolphins) but if the Brazil/S.Africa variant takes a real hold we probably won't be able to go.
 
Fantastic shots crieffy - numbers 1 - 4 and 9 for me in that order .. would you card to share your camera and settings

Coho- Blue
 
Lez325 said:
Lovely images John- I missed out on a 2 week trip to Mull I planned - bloody Covid :mad:

Lets hope things get better soon and I can re-arrange

Les
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JohnC6 said:
We're due there May 15th. plus Chanonary Point (dolphins) but if the Brazil/S.Africa variant takes a real hold we probably won't be able to go.
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Hope you both make it! I've got quite a few friends that go to Mull for their Otters.

I understand Channonry can get extremely crowded - I've only been slightly off season. Saw the dolphins but didn't get the salmon hunting action.
 
Coho-Blue said:
Fantastic shots crieffy - numbers 1 - 4 and 9 for me in that order .. would you card to share your camera and settings

Coho- Blue
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Many thanks - there's shots with D500, D800, D810 and the recent ones are D850. Mostly with 200-400mm and 200-500mm
If you view them in Flickr, that should have most of the info on settings. I've recently started using auto-ISO as it's one less thing to worry about when the Otters are moving among black rocks or bright surf
 
Otterly lovely ;)

With a chancer of a Hooded Crow a bonus trying distraction tactic to 'chase' the otter off of its prey.
 
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