Wednesday 5 February 2014

Shetland Otter using ruined barn holt: Bushnel trphy cam footage

 

(note that blogger appears to compress a lot so best viewed as seen, not full screen)
I always find it fascinating and very rewarding working with otters throughout the year and although I am continually monitoring sites around Shetland and am watching Otters most, weeks of the year, it is often the information I get from folk that sometimes offers the most interesting behaviour. It is thanks to a very good friend of ours, Julie Thomson that I found out about this female using an old ruined barn as a holt, something that I have seen otters do many times and are well known to do. But Julie had seen it cross the road and head into a field on several times, each day in the same place coming and going.
After a bit of investigating I soon found where the otter was going by following her run and locating spraint. I set up the Bushnel (CCTV!), subtly tucked tight in along a dry stone wall and left it set for a fortnight and sure enough....

Next stake out is a friend of mines Hen house!