The Otters are Back!

Winter is here. The days are getting shorter, the outside temperature as I tap out this posting is a brisk 22 degrees, and the river otters are back! I saw my first otter of the winter this morning working the edge of the reeds looking for something to eat. 98% of all my otters sightings on the Upper Wood near Frying Pan Pond are in the winter months, especially when there is snow and ice on the river and its banks. The otters love playing in the snow and snacking on those slow moving trout. The color contrast between a pure white winterscape and the dark mahogany otters makes for a pretty easy visual target for any naturalist. Until it freezes up, the otters are a bit harder to spot. Keep your eyes open for that brief glimpse of the otter head as it porpoise-swims along the banks of the river.

PVA

Photo by Jim Leopold / USFWS