Otters

[secrets in symmetry]

Are there otters in Caithness?

I've never see one, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

If there are, where is a good place to see them?

[starfish]

i have seen one in wick river opposite geddes

[Spud]

and I have seen one in Thurso river

[nightspirit]

I was fishing with a friend on the main breakwater at the end of july and one came by looked at us dived down and grabbed a flattie came back up lay on his back ate it and then left as if to say - this is how you catch fish mate. saw him a day or 2 later also at the same place

[Dadie]

They are at the peedie lochs at Dunnethead, mouth of Thurso river used to have a family, millade at Dounreay and foreshore has a couple and sandside has a couple.
Try going out at dusk or dawn (without a dog)for a walk near water and you might get lucky in spotting them.

[pat]

Fairly good time to otter watch is when tide is going out, feeding time often.
You can tell if otters are around by the spraints (pile of their dung usually in the same places as markers of their territory, it smells and different consistency to sheep or dog mess)

[secrets in symmetry]

Thanks everyone. :cool:

I've been intending to ask about otters for some time. I was reminded by an advertisement at the top of the page - advertisements can be useful sometimes!

[motorbike]

Seen an otter last week below scalesburn in wick harbour

[kosacid]

ye good idea don`t take a dog they like to roll in the dung lol

[smithp]

Saw 3 different otters on the Wick river on Wednesday. One of them was at the bottom of my rod tip, about 15 ft away.

[laguna2]

A few years ago I saw an otter on the Broubster road!

[Kevin Milkins]

I came down for breakfast this morning and found a water otter on top of the worktop in our back kitchen. :eek:

Hang on, that's a kettle. :roll:

[laguna2]

I came down for breakfast this morning and found a water otter on top of the worktop in our back kitchen. :eek:

Hang on, that's a kettle. :roll:

*sigh* there's always one :roll:

[sgmcgregor]

Hello,

I've seen them a few times on Thurso river - all the way from the river mouth up to the footbridge at Millbank. I spent a couple of hours one day watching them and trying desperately to take photographs (I've put a link to a couple of photos here - http://s742.photobucket.com/user/sgmcgregor/library/Otters)

The otters were feeding and they are amazing fishers. They were catching something every few minutes for some time - presumably until they could manage to eat no more. All the while they must have been thinking "Bloody paparazzo! We can't do anything without some nut tailing our every move."

One thing I did notice is that people who were passing seemed very curious about why I was staring into space so intently. They were all quite surprised when I pointed out the furry devils.

Thurso river is also a great place to quite often see seals - the otters are definitely more likely to be seen when the river is low (in my experience at least), as they can grab a fish and then take it up onto dry land and have a feast.

Steven

[richardj]

I recorded a short video 5 years ago at Reiss beach http://youtu.be/oifqps7-9sw of an otter swimming and catching fish

[secrets in symmetry]

I think I must be the most useless otter spotter in the County!

Thanks for the tips everyone. I enjoyed your photos and video. :cool:

[laguna2]

Not at all SiS!!!!

I thought I was driving behind an injured rabbit, put on and off car lights to let it get off the road.

Took me quite a while to realise it was an otter and then just sat and enjoyed watching it for a while!

Eventually put off the lights again, and it headed off ... probably off where it wanted to go!

[sgmcgregor]

I think I must be the most useless otter spotter in the County!

Thanks for the tips everyone. I enjoyed your photos and video. :cool:

I wouldn't feel bad about not having seen any yet. I think it tends to be a case of being in the right place at the right time. After seeing otters for the first time I visited numerous times on later occasions and didn't have any luck at all. But...when you do see them it is a wonderful surprise (and I always now carry my camera - just in case)

Steven

[orkneycadian]

They are at the peedie lochs at Dunnethead

Are you a closet Orcadian Dadie? ;)


Try going out at dusk or dawn (without a dog)for a walk near water and you might get lucky in spotting them.


I .....put on and off car lights to let it get off the road.

.....

Eventually put off the lights again, and it headed off....

Careful. That kind of carry on will get you reported to the police for acting suspiciously. ;)

[Aestus57]

Saw one at Gills Bay back in August from the Café window.

[secrets in symmetry]

Are you a closet Orcadian Dadie? ;)Peedie is a common word in Caithness too.

I'll be on the lookout for peedie wee otters next time I'm near the rivers and coastline.

[gaza]

Not at all SiS!!!!

I thought I was driving behind an injured rabbit, put on and off car lights to let it get off the road.

Took me quite a while to realise it was an otter and then just sat and enjoyed watching it for a while!

Eventually put off the lights again, and it headed off ... probably off where it wanted to go!

Ottering is this a new code

[porshiepoo]

Otters have emptied our pond twice of all our Koi. We didn't realise it was an Otter emptying the pond over night until the dogs cornered one on the garden. It seems we are right in the middle of the path they take as the youngsters leave the parents every 18 months or so.
Not re stocking the pond now though.

[dirdyweeker]

used to see otters jumping into the water on Wick's bonfire night at the end of Gala. They were on the island opposite the old boating shed. Once the fireworks started they would scarper.

[secrets in symmetry]

used to see otters jumping into the water on Wick's bonfire night at the end of Gala. They were on the island opposite the old boating shed. Once the fireworks started they would scarper.The poor wee things!

I'm sorry to hear about your koi, porshiepoo. Looking on the bright side, the koi will have made a bonnie banquet for the otters!