Updated 20 Mar 2008

Otters at Bear Mead?

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Otters at Bear Mead?

    We've never actually seen otters at Bear Mead, but we often see tracks in the mud and occasionally droppings which might be otters. Anyone who knows about these things please contact and send me your opinion.

    Hi John,
    This is the reply I've had from my friend at Dorset Wildlife Trust. Looks like they could be otter. Only way to know for sure is to sit very early in the morning or at dusk and see if you can see them.
    Regards
    Jane Nature Diary & WebCam

    Interesting…
    Hard to tell from the photos but I'd say that 12 & 13 were otter – probably dog otter. I'd expect them to be even larger. The earlier ones look too small for otter but may be young ones. Photo 7 isn't otter spraint and 14 doesn't look much like the ones I get – too few obvious fish bones – but this could be differences in diet.
    Alastair

Carving of an otter, just downstream from Bear Mead.
Otter tracks photoed on Radipole Lake, 25 miles West

The Dorset Stour, looking upstream (West).
Stour at Bear Mead, looking West
The Dorset Stour, looking downstream (East).
Stour at Bear Mead, looking East
The Old Mill Stream, looking South.
Old Mill Stream, looking South

03 (0577) 30 Jan 08 on Mill Stream
04 (0578) 30 Jan 08 on Mill Stream
05 (0579) 30 Jan 08 on Mill Stream
06 (0647) 17 Feb 08 on River Stour
07 (0668) 25 Feb 08 on field next to Stour
08 (0669) 25 Feb 08 on Mill Stream
09 (0670) 25 Feb 08 on Mill Stream
10 (0671) 25 feb 08 on Mill Stream
11 (0672) 25 Feb 08 on Mill Stream
12 (0708) 14 Mar 08 on Mill Stream
13 (0709) 14 Mar 08 on Mill Stream
14 (0710) 14 Mar 08 on field next to Stour

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