Otter surprise!

During the Half-term, I tried to get in as much photography as possible with visits to RSPB Mersehead with the RSPB Group of Newcastle, A visit to WWT Washington and a Visit to RSPB Saltholme, I also managed to fit in a few days stay in Northumberland which provided me with my sighting of the Half-term or for that matter this year.
I stood for around 30 to 40 minutes photographing a waterfall on private land, after finishing a few Long-exposure photographs I walked up the bank to look at the view provided from the bank down towards a small stream and towards the waterfall, I stood looking at the view for a few minutes when I heard a 'squeaking' from below, I looked down towards the stream to see about 15 yards away a pair of Otters Hunting in the pool before one perched up on a rock and began eating a fish it had just caught! I tried to quietly get my camera out of the bag, they swam and sat on the rocks in the pool for around 5 minutes with only the slightest movements by me and they didn't seem to bothered, after a few unsuccessful attempts of jumping up a small waterfall they moved off back down stream as quickly as they had arrived.
It was my first time of seeing an Otter and it didn't disappoint! It was great to see the Animals that close and to be able to see just why they are so adapted to Hunting.
It was made even better by the fact that from what I can gather otters have not previously been recorded in this particular stream, however I can not be 100% certain they have not been seen there previously.
The area in which the otters were hunting was quite dark as it was an Overcast day and the trees around the stream made it even darker so the light was brilliant for photography however I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to photograph otters!

I've also managed to fit in a few visits to Killingworth lake, the Whooper swan we found on the 5th still remains as do several Gooseander and a large amount of Goldeneye.

Mersehead

A shot from WWT Washington
of a Captive Chiloe Wigeon.

And to finish here is photo of one of the Great Crested Grebes that returned on Monday 18th Febuary last week, the Ice on the lakes has thus far stopped the Grebes checking out suitable nesting areas.