Too close for comfort!

To get decent photos of wildlife, sometimes means you have to sacrifice personal comfort! This includes lying on sharp rocks and having your boots fill up with seawater... just fantastic!

It was while watching a distant group of 4 Otters early this morning, that one of these (a large dog), decided to 'home in' on the patch of seaweed covered rocks that I was hiding in! He proceeded to patrol the edge of the rocks and was calling loudly too, but he still seemed totally oblivious to my presence. He got so close at one point that I couldn't even focus (9' min focal distance on my lens!). I got the impression he was calling the rest of the group over, as I have witnessed him do before. It was only when he headed downwind of me (the last pic) that he must have sensed me. Still, I was quietly quite glad the encounter was almost over, as I had some body parts that had given up on me by this point!!! It was well worth it though for the experience and the pics, even though the light wasn't all that great for photos. Shetland has to be one of the best places in Britain for getting the 'full on' Otter experience!...

finally he detected me, and photographed into direct sunlight too!

On the birding front, only 1 Ruff and 2 groups of Bar-tailed Godwits to report this morning (8 birds and 5 birds), looks like a complete clear out of migrants last night...