Otters on Friday

I know I should have done this last night, but I didn't OK. I am smug again. for the very first time in my life I saw a real life wild otter. I walked down just after 1:00 on Friday to the English Bridge and saw to my amazement an otter in the river just upstream.

I managed to get my camera, and take a couple of pictures this being the best. It appeared to be chasing something and then began porpoising through the water towards the bridge. I took a deep breath and waited for the traffic and then ran, well walked quickly to the other side.

There it was, looking remarkably like images I have seen of the Loch Ness Monster curling through the water. I would Like to say I got some wonderful images of the critter but I think this is the best.

It disappeared from my view quite soon after after this. so I decided to see if I could find it again and walked downstream on the town bank.

It had disappeared, but I was very pleased with my self.

I carried on walking down the river. It was on the rise as the snow and ice melted and began to get in to the rivers. On Friday there had been some melting, as I write this on Saturday I would imagine the levels are much higher, but nothing like November and early December.

On my way to the weir I took a couple of shots of the footbridge, the sun had just come out and for the first time I felt sort of warmed by it. It reminded me of spring and all sorts of things.

I like the way the bridge is taking the girl from the town into the country.

I am sure I could wax lyrical about this picture for quite a while and read lots into it. fortunately I will let you make your own mind up about this one/

I had been down this stretch of the river the day before (Thursday) just as the thaw had begun. well to be honest for most of the journey there was nothing that grabbed me and said "take my picture". The just below the railway bridge I saw this floating down stream. It was the drop of water in the middle of the feather that drew my attention.

I took this and a number of others but never quite did it justice. I blame the light, and I will stick with this. I was also cheered up by a small group of sparrows "playing" in one of the bushes by the side of the towpath.

For now the snow and cold have gone or at least are well on there way out. there are still places where the ice holds sway.

I went up to Forge Mill Lake this afternoon and it was still half frozen. It is only really the area around the slipway by the Farm that is being kept clear of ice by the activities of the birds. More of this visit anon but I want to convey how smug I was having seen an otter for the first time.

I did manage to catch a glimpse of it again on my back to the English Bridge. I saw it briefly in the water by the bank and then it climbed up the bank and ran into a gap into the wall and into some bushes. this was the last time I saw it.

Good night