I’ve seen triangular road signs on the Islands of Mull and North Uist warning motorists that otters might be crossing the roads. There is only one main road on the Isle of Jura, and no signs warning of otters. Maybe they don’t need any, as an otter I encountered whilst cycling seemed to know its green cross code!
I had seen one swimming along the shore in the same direction as I was going. So I cycled ahead, hoping it might come out onto a rock. It did indeed come out of the water, but not onto a rock. I couldn’t believe it when it padded over the sand towards the road where I had set myself standing, camera at the ready.
When it reached the road, I kid you not, it looked left and then right!
Then seeing nothing was coming, and unperturbed by my presence, it proceeded to cross over!
I fortunately had the medium lens on my camera, the big lens would have been too close to focus!
Once safely at the other side the otter turned and scampered along the grass verge away from me.
Then up onto the grass it went and over a ditch.
Finally it crawled under a fence and disappeared up the back of Jura Health Centre. Perhaps its holt is up beyond there.
This was my third successive year on Jura, but it’s only this year that I’ve been blessed with all these amazing otter encounters.
Sarah's Wildlife Watch 