Yeah! . . . a Cockney Kettle at Last

When I was just 9 or 10, I was taken to an animal park in Sussex (Drusilla's) and there was a large tank labelled 'Water Otter' and a lever and chain labelled 'Pull'. When the chain was pulled, it lifted a rusty leaking kettle out of the water. You can imagine the disappointment that that created. I was scarred for life - emotionally crippled etc.

Today, I found emotional catharsis. I am ecstatic.

I went to one of Fife's local nature reserves, Birnie Loch, that I have visited many times before. I went to photograph birds, in particular, great-crested grebes that are nesting on the adjacent Gaddon Loch. After spending an hour and a half in the hide, I took a stroll round Birnie loch and to my amazement saw an otter swimming in the loch and being given a hard time by a mute swan (cob) and black-headed gulls. Because of the harassment, it dived again almost as soon as it surfaced and given that it was at the extreme end of my camera's capabilities (full zoom + digital zoom) it was gone again almost before I could focus.

Please excuse me. This is the first wild otter (Lutra lutra) that I have photographed and so I am letting my excitement take over from my logical photographic quality standards.

Please enjoy this collage of 5 of the best that I managed to capture.

Please stay tuned - Normal quality will be resumed as soon as possible.