I spent yesterday trying to beat cabin fever. I knew I had to get out somewhere to shoot, because the outdoors is my therapist. But the options are a bit more limited at this time of year, unless you can get to Florida!
I’ve been interested in learning more about calling and photographing Coyotes. We have plenty of them around, I just have to find them. So yesterday found me in the woods, trying to entice a Coyote into shooting range. Which was pretty much a waste of time. There is a lot to learn about coyote calling and I was pitifully unprepared. So after a couple hours I mercifully called it quits and headed back to the car. On the way back I had to pass by a small pond which was frozen over, except for a small patch of open water next to a Beaver lodge. I knew that either Beavers or Otters were using that open patch of water to exit and enter the den. Beavers and Otters co-exist in the lodge during the winter, which was something that surprised me.
So I sat down to see if I could get lucky enough to see something worth photographing. I didn’t have to wait long. I could see the open water rippling so I knew something was coming out of the lodge. Maybe this would be a good day!
These two popped out of the water and immediately began wrestling with each other! Unfortunately they are on the other side of the pond so these are long shots with heavy crops. But you do the best you can with what you’ve got and I was glad just to see them!
Looking for trouble!!!
The next one is a favorite of mine. It looks like the Otter is praying saying “Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of this fish head which I am about to devour”.
If you have ever watched an Otter eat a fish it isn’t pretty. You can hear the bones crunching as they chew. They have very impressive teeth and powerful jaws and they eat every bit of the fish! It’s not a great image technically but it certainly tells a story!
And what would an Otter story be without a visit to the Latrine?? Otters use a common latrine area which they probably use as a way to keep in touch with each other. (I don’t think they have FB yet!!) But they will return to the same area on a regular basis to keep up with their siblings.
So all in all it was a terrific day!!! I got to watch these beautiful, funny animals live their lives. I got a few pictures, I got to see the Otter Poop Dance, and wouldn’t you know it? My cabin fever disappeared…. :) Enjoy!