Too much disruption?

I've been away for the past few days in Scotland so this is the first time I've had a chance to update the blog. The weather has taken a more wintery turn at last, the wind is more biting and the slippery, sticky mud that makes walking so difficult has been turned to a sparkling granite-like rock.

There has been a good deal of activity on the river recently but not by otters, its human in nature. This is the time of year when the various habitat management agencies are out in force to cut back last years growth of trees and shrubs that fringe the waterways. I guess the idea is to open up the waterways and to ensure they don't become clogged with vegetation. However the level of clearance in some areas is quite extreme. Not only removing valuable habitat for otters but also for other animals such and water voles, deer and foxes.

All this 'tidying' work has coincided with an obvious reduction in otter activity. There has been little new sprint visible and neither of my cameras have captured anything for a couple of weeks. Whether this sort of work with chain saw, tractor and hobnail boot has disturbed the otters I can't say but in all the areas I've been monitoring, the work has removed a considerable amount of cover and created a great deal of daytime noise and disruption. This can't be good news for the otters. Denuding the riverbanks and surrounding areas make it more difficult for otters to maintain their usual state of total invisibility but more importantly removing all the low level brush and brambles means that there are far fewer potential sites for temporary holts.

A steep bank at the top of which I found a
very fresh Spraint. 

So - for the time being - the otters may have moved to other more peaceful areas.

There have been positive signs here and there however. As I said earlier I've started to monitor a second area further down river from otter valley. Here there are still good signs of activity although even here the chains was and bonfires of fresh green wood have also been blazing. In fact there has been more clearance work here than in otter valley itself.

I've identified a few new sprinting sites including a very public site on the edge of a frequently used public footpath and at the top of a very step river bank. I've watched this location on and off for a while because there are clear signs that something moves through this area on a regular basis. Today I got some good confirmation that it is indeed used by otters. You can see from the image just how steep the bank is at this point. My dog is looking directly at the spraint which is very close the the footpath.

I have never seen sprint here before and I'm not sure if this is a one off or a regular spot. Its quite possible that it is a regular sport and that the sprain simply vanishes as a result of all the pedestrian through traffic.

Very fresh spraint found close to the public footpath

Otters like to leave and enter the river close to places where there is a lot of water movement, where the water course changes direction or where there is a new channel. This location is no exception since it is right next door to a large weir gate. The otter leaves the main river channel here to cross the path and enter another side channel.

A little further along the main river widens and flows more languidly beneath a major trunk road which crossed the river. The footpaths pass  under this bridge disappearing around a broad bend into open meadowlands beyond.

Otter footprint. Here I think we can see a good
impression of the Right Hind foot and just below it
and to the left a Left front foot impression

Beneath the road bridge there are two areas of mud and stones at the foot of the reinforced embankment. These lie behind a set of barriers which make it impossible for most people and - more importantly - dogs to gain access to the river. There is a drop of about 1m. In the mud I could see a really good selection of spore prints which I'm certain are otter. These two areas on stoney mud on both sides of the river are a really good stopping off point for the otters. Much of the river bank along this stretch is inaccessible to them and the central river channel is very deep so these mud islands are essential for a short break and to quickly dry the fur perhaps.

I did manage to get a couple of snaps of the footprints but I think I'll try to get some better shots or maybe take a plaster cast if I can.