SPOTTING OTTERS ON THE WATER OF LEITH

Every week on my social media accounts, on my websites, on the Water of Leith walkway & at other wildlife spots around Edinburgh, I am asked about spotting otters. Giving out specific location information of protected species on a daily basis, via word of mouth or social media, would be irresponsible of me & would be of no benefit to the otters who are very vulnerable within our city.

I know that many people would love to see these elusive creatures, so I have decided to put out a few pointers that will enable you to increase your chances of seeing otters for yourself. I have also included some of the precautions that must be observed whilst doing so. The reason for precaution is that over 2023, there have been 7 otters that have died on or close to the Water of Leith. Two died because of road traffic accidents, one unexplained death (post mortem stated possible respiratory tract issue) & then there were several cubs that are no longer with us due to reasons unknown but likely to be due to separation from the mother & being unable to fend for themselves.

So, these wee creatures are very vulnerable & we have to make sure there is nothing that we do that puts them at further risk. As I said above, if I gave out very specific location information, this would be of no benefit to the otters – their survival is precarious enough, if 2023 is anything to go by. It is hoped that by putting this information out, people will observe them with more informed knowledge & with more care.

These pointers are not only useful for spotting otters on the Water of Leith but also for the Union Canal, the River Esk, the River Almond & many of the ponds & other waterways in & around Edinburgh & further afield.

WHERE CAN YOU SEE THEM

There is no secret that otters have been seen, at almost every part of the Water of Leith walkway, from Balerno right down to Leith over the years.
I prefer to stay within the city boundary section, when photographing wildlife, on the Water of Leith. I do head out to Balerno once/twice a month but I prefer being down at eye-level with the water, so the section from Bog’s Mill Bridge to Leith, is my preferred section. In theory, if you walked this section, on your own, every day, over a 3 month period and you simply concentrated on watching the water & listening for splashing (ie no headphones on) then you would see otters – I can’t say how many or how often but I am confident you would eventually see them.
The main thing to be aware of is that the otters move about… a lot! I’ve seen a mum & 2 cubs in one part of the water and the very next day they were 4-5 miles away. I’ve seen one otter on the Water of Leith & then the next day, it was on the Union Canal. Male otters can have up to a 20 mile range and females about a 12 mile range, so it is very difficult to predict where they will be. So you really do have to put some miles in, to see them & even then, it can be down to luck.
It is a lot easier to spot otters, or any other wildlife, when they are moving in still or slow moving water, due to the ripples they create on the water. This isn’t so evident when they are in fast flowing parts of the river. So be more vigilant when walking passed still/slow moving water sections & look out for what is creating the ripples.
They don’t always use the water and they frequently run through the foliage along the river bank. They do this when water levels are very low over the summer – you will see & hear the tall foliage move. You can also see ‘otter slides’ which are worn patches of vegetation on the riverbank, where otters slide in & out of the water.

WHY YOU DON’T SEE OTTERS

Firstly, spotting otters is difficult – they’re dark brown, just like the Water of Leith.

They also work their way along the water, close to the riverbank, where they hide under the overhanging vegetation. That’s fine if you are looking at the opposite bank but almost impossible to see them, if they’re on the bank closest to you

As you walk along the river, there are many trees/bushes that obscure your view, particularly in the summer months & that’s all it takes to miss an otter going in the opposite direction.

They can be nocturnal, only coming out to feed at night. During the winter, with only 6-8 hours of daylight, you may never see an otter for months.

WHAT DO THEY EAT & WHEN

They mainly eat fish but they do eat small mammals. As fish is there main diet, they will move to whatever part of a river has the best supply. This is one of the reasons that they are not always in the same place & difficult to find. Otter mums will move from their holt, if disturbed or if she feels there is not enough fish to feed her cubs. She will travel miles, to find another resting place, where there is enough fish for her & her cubs.

Otters in the city tend to be crepuscular – basically meaning that they feed during the night and are around in daylight, only at dawn & dusk. I would say that 80% of the time you will have more success seeing them in the 1-2 hours after sunrise and 1-2 hours before sunset during the summer. The other 20% of the time they’ll do precisely whatever they want! This latter point is particularly true if a mother has cubs & they want to feed, little & often, throughout the day.

When they are out, remember that they are out to feed, so do not disturb them. They will make frequent stops to feed & they will show themselves but if they spot you, they’ll dive & disappear. They will then have to try & find fish elsewhere, so, if you do see them, it’s important to stay still and wait for the otter to dive for food. Then move & hide yourself away by keeping yourself low to the ground or behind a tree & observe from there. STAY STILL – MOVE – HIDE – OBSERVE

You don’t want your silhouette towering over these wee creatures. Their eyesight is not that great, so (in their fight or flight mode) they will see you/your silhouette as a threat. At this point, they will simply disappear & may have to forego feeding themselves!! Again the key thing is… do not disturb!

WHAT SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR

If you can identify a long, straight stretch of still or slow moving water, this is a good place for spotting otters & other wildlife. Even if they are under the cover of the undergrowth, when moving along the bank of the river, otters will still make large ripples across the water. If you see these ripples, it could be a duck or moorhen but every so often it will be an otter.

Get familiar with otter foot prints and otter spraints (otter poo). Spraints are found on prominent parts of the river bank or on large boulders in the water. Footprints & spraints are vital clues that otters are in the area. If all the boulders in one place are dry but one is soaking wet, there is a chance that an otter has visited recently. It may also have sprainted on that boulder as well.

Listen out for otter cubs high pitched squeaking. This is a giveaway sign that they’re in the area – google it if you are unfamiliar with this sound. Again it is key that they are not disturbed or even worse separated from their mum, by onlookers being between an otter cub and the mum.

Another sign to look out for, is if you suddenly see ducks and moorhen scarper, you can bet an otter is about, or a mink for that matter.

If you haven’t seen an otter before then you’re looking for something about the size of a small dog. They are about 100-130cm in length from nose to tail tip & can move about quite a bit when fishing. This creates a lot of splashing to listen out for as well.

OTHER POINTS TO BEAR IN MIND

Otters don’t go around in groups on the Water of Leith – if you do see more than one otter, it is likely to be a mum & cubs or an adult male otter, with an adult female, at mating time. Once again, avoiding disturbance is imperative, as we don’t want to prevent them mating & we don’t want the cubs being separated from their mum.

You may have heard that otters have an incredible sense of smell, so it is vital to keep yourself downwind of otters. As the Water of Leith meanders it’s ways down to Leith, you’ll be going around in circles, trying to work out which way the wind is coming from & it can be impossible to be downwind of them, at all times. Plus, there are so many other people walking on the walkway that even if you are downwind of the otters, others probably won’t be. I suspect this isn’t as important in the city, as it is on a loch, on the Isle of Mull, for example but it is worth bearing in mind, in the more open spaces, along the water.

If you do spot an otter, try & stay still & out of sight. If the otter dives under water, keep your eyes peeled for a line of bubbles, on top of the water. This will tell you which way the otter has headed. It may bolt downstream or just to the other side of the riverbank but this is invaluable information about which direction it has gone in, and allows you to move yourself into cover. STAY STILL – MOVE – HIDE – OBSERVE

When an otter dives for fish, it will stay down for 10-20 seconds on a river, as shallow as the Water of Leith. The deeper & wider the river, the longer an otter will stay down for. On a typical sea loch, an otter usually dives for around 20-30 seconds. When an otter dives, this gives you time to move to a better/more secluded location.

Single otters have nothing to worry about other than themselves, so if they don’t like the sound of your camera shutter, the smell of your perfume/aftershave/deoderant or something else, they’ll be off. However, an otter mum, with 2 cubs, is so much more vulnerable, as she can’t go in both directions, if the cubs decide to split up. So, it’s vital that you never get yourself in a position between a mum & her cubs. The mum will be taking the cubs to a known feeding spot, with resting spots nearby. It’s vital that they aren’t chased or frightened away from these spots or feel threatened, in these areas.
If you do see an otter & photograph it, please keep the specific location to yourself when posting on social media. It’s fine to state, ‘it was at the Water of Leith’, as the walkway is over 12 miles long, but giving out locations that are very easily identified & could draw a small crowd, should be avoided, at all costs. As an example, at the end of last year, social media posts about waxwings arriving at various parks & hotspots in Edinburgh created crowds of 30-40 people, in some areas. If this amount of people arrived to see otters, at one location, this would cause the otters stress and more importantly create disturbance. This could lead to possible separation of the mother & cubs. As I said earlier, we have lost 7 otters last year. I have no idea whether the two that died, due to road traffic accidents, were the result of being flushed out of hiding & on to a road. Nor do I have any idea that the 4 otters cubs that we lost were due to separation, caused by over enthusiastic onlookers. Regardless, we just don’t want to take any chances that our actions could cause any harm to them at all.
Watching otters in an urban river, such as the Water of Leith, is an incredible experience and can draw many people closer to nature. However, not disturbing the otters is absolutely paramount. Disturbance can lead an otter to abandon its holt, abandon a cub, stop feeding itself or its cubs. Disturbing otters and kingfishers on the Water of Leith, can be an offence, as they are both protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. So if you see an otter or a kingfisher, ask yourself if you are disturbing them in any way. If you have a dog with you, ensure it is under control and slowly move away. Obviously, photographing protected species on the Water of Leith, with a dog on a regular basis, would more than likely constitute an offence, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, unless you are a highly experienced wildlife expert/photographer or you have a licence from NatureScot to do so. If you do see any disturbance of otters or kingfishers on the Water of Leith, then please call Police Scotland on 101.

…& FINALLY

I see the otters a lot. It’s not always the same otter and it is definitely not in the same place, each time. What I do is that I walk about 6-8 miles a day, on different sections of the Water of Leith. When I go out each day, my goal isn’t to specifically spot otters. Sometimes I see them and sometimes I don’t. However, my main aim is to see lots of other wildlife as well, and this is my ultimate goal, of being alone with nature… & if I do get a few photos, even better!!

So in summary

be more observant when you are at water level, on the walkway & where the water is still or slow moving
look out for ripples in the water & what maybe causing them
Put the miles in – the otters can do 12-20 miles a day – I’m not suggesting you do that but at least an hour or two, if you seriously want to spot them, over time!
Listen out for splashing & unusual noises coming from the river & investigate
Look out for foliage moving along the riverbank & check out what is making it move
Get out in the mornings & evenings over the summer
Look out for otter footprints & spraints along the riverbank
Stay downwind, if you can!

My last point is, when I see an otter, I remain as STILL as I can, until it dives for fish. At that point, I try and MOVE to an area where I can HIDE & won’t be seen. I have found that by hiding myself completely, I have been able to OBSERVE the otters for far longer than I would have done, than if I simply approached the riverbank to look more closely & possibly scare the otter off. Try & remember – STAY STILL – MOVE – HIDE – OBSERVE

Good Luck – Tom!

CLICK ON ANY PICTURE BELOW TO VIEW THE ENLARGED CLICK-THROUGH GALLERY