Otters – 14 August 2026
Every so often I have a wildlife experience that really stands out. It’s one of those experiences that, at the end of the year, I’ll remember & look back at with a big smile!
I’m very fortunate to see otters most weeks, on the Water of Leith but on the 14th August I had what was probably my wildlife highlight of the month (or several months for that matter)….. an amazing encounter with the otters!!
The 4:30am Alarm….
The 4:30am alarm was a bit of a struggle that morning, but it was more than worth it.
By 5:40am I was standing in the Water of Leith, in my waders, as the sun rose, and what a spectacular sunrise it was. A stunning sky and a wonderful way to start the day.
While I was changing the SD cards in a couple of my cameras, I spotted a dipper upstream. I quietly made my way to a rock by the riverbank and sat out of sight, hoping it might come a bit closer.
It never did.
An Otter Cub Call
After about four or five minutes I heard an otter cub calling (squeaking is more realistic). I turned around to find a mum and her cub making their way upstream, only about 20 feet behind me.
As they dived underwater, I slowly raised my camera, hid my face completely and then stayed as still as I could. Incredibly, the little cub swam around me – it was so close, my camera couldn’t focus on it and it almost brushed my waders as it went past me. It then casually rejoined its mum and the two of them continued feeding, before heading upstream shortly after.
