Our Otter Safari started later than originally planned – and finished a good while later as well. It started with a courting pair of Great Crested Grebes; entertaining us, and prompting the whirring of camera shutters and DV tapes. Then, they started to look very nervous; that’s often the first sign that there’s a predator at large. The second sign was when nervousness turned into rapid departure. Finally, an otter appeared on the water surface. Sleek, handsome and supple, it twisted, turned, dived and ate it’s lunch. After a short while underwater it surfaced – alongside a second otter! Down they went, and reappeared as a trio!! With several broods of ducklings around, the mother ducks went into a frenzy; feigning injury to distract the otters, which were carving through the water like porpoises. The chase brought them closer until, suddenly, they were less than 50ft from us; lazily floating along and fixing us with a stare that seemed to say “if only we were a bit bigger…”. With 2 video cameras running we recorded much of the action, so tomorrow will see it uploaded to our gallery and to YouTube as well. Wildlife may not always perform to plan, but our success rate with otters keeps on rising and, with a little patience, the views can be mind-blowing. After the otters we spent a while checking through flocks of terns and gulls and watched 2 Marsh Harriers drifting over a coastal reedbed. Finishing the day with even more quality wildlife, a Barn Owl was hunting exactly where Martin predicted. To join in the Northern Experience, check our calendar and look for Otter Safari (or ‘Otters and Badgers’ for an evening with a difference, or ‘Druridge Bay’ for an excellent day’s birdwatching in southeast Northumberland with the possibility of Red Squirrels, Otters and Roe Deer as well).