One of the greatest wildlife watching days to date occurred today in the beautiful setting of the Laune river, co Kerry. It was the day when I witnessed my first wild otter in Ireland. The beautiful sunshine and lack of fish had led me to a quiet moment on the bank in my deck chair. Suddenly my eyes caught the movement of a wake of water heading across the Laune. Grabbing my glasses I managed to catch a glimpse of a sleek back sliding out into the bank. Like that the otter was gone. I couldent believe my eyes. I doubted what I had just seen as trick of the new spring sunlight I dropped the fishing gear and scoped out the bank and was able to discern a couple what I think were otter access points in the far bank. I decided to investigate at closer quarters. Heading back over the bridge I entered the fossa way and was walking with purpose along the man made walkway when there was a disturbance in the water beside me. To my disbelief there was an otter who I had inadvertently disturbed from fishing amongst the tangle of flooded branches. The otter swam out of the channel lopping up and down and blowing out those distinctive bubbles that I had heard about on spring watch and read about in books. I manage to fumble some photos before the supine shape disappeared from sight. Exhilarated I searched the water to no avail. Had I seen the last if the otter? To see an otter in broad daylight is rare and I felt immensely privelage do to witness this. I crossed at the bridge and following a hunch that only nature lovers will understand, I walked back up to the spot that on the previous day I had found old otter spraint. Suddenly a splashing broke the silken silence if the stream. In the distance and otter was attacking a large fish which I presume must be a salmon. The thrashing and bashing went on for about a minute. Tail and head flew in and out of the water. Eventually all went silent. The otter had a substantial feast and I had an equal feast of nature that can be said to be once in a lifetime event. Wondrous.
13 Comments
Shane Redmond
24/5/2016 11:59:09 am
Dead otter on side of motor way beside Ashbourne
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CaoimhĂn
10/11/2016 11:29:38 pm
Mature otter found washed up on Tullan Strand, Bundoran, County Donegal this morning 10/11/16. Otters can be found on the Bradoge, Drowes and Erne rivers in the south Donegal area as well as in Lough Erne.
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9/4/2017 04:39:12 pm
Ther is a otter in Dundalk I got a video and put it up on YouTube it call otter with Fish in dundalk
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John O'Sullivan
11/2/2019 06:59:21 pm
I was walking over a railway foot bridge in wicklow town around six in the evening, there were two otters playing in the water
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Mary Anderson
21/5/2020 02:13:03 pm
Dead otter on road half way between Kilross and Stranorlar in Co.Donegal.
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John Lannin
7/11/2020 03:48:46 pm
Pair of otters at Spanish Cove Goleen today 7/11/20
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Lynne Deakin
19/12/2020 09:33:30 am
Otter playing around in Barleycove full tide today, in stream by dunes
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Stephen
19/12/2020 10:00:09 am
Amazing! I know this part country well. Am amazed at this! of the
John McNeilly
8/3/2021 06:31:51 pm
Saw an otter this afternoon on the banks of the Argideen river in Gearagh, Rossmore, Cork. It walked along the riverbank, swam for a little bit and walked along riverbank again.
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Winifred Patricia Holmes
1/4/2021 03:26:37 pm
Saw an otter on Hilly Road Drumshanbo today! There's plenty of marsh land, streams and rivers in Drumshanbo....
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Joe maguire
6/10/2022 11:31:56 am
Just spotted a otter in the Glen river Park in cork city for the first time. Can't find a cork based site to report it
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AuthorI
am a wildlife photographer based in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, who has an
affinity for Ireland's landscape and wildlife. The magic of Ireland is
truly evoked in the marriage of landscape and light. AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
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