The otter is making all the sounds, snorts or blows and a screech. Notice that as he moves through the grasses, the otter stops and turns, screeches menacingly and then prudently turns and moves on. The groaning sound you might hear is my moving the camcorder lens. I also used back lighting now and then since I was shooting into the late morning sun. The otter quickly went to the far end of the pond and soon I could no longer see it. As I left the pond, the beaver was still on duty -- otter watching, if my theory is right.

At the end of winter I saw a beaver go out of its way to harrass an otter. I came up to the pond around 3:30 in the afternoon, saw fresh otter scat on the shore, and decided to stay awhile. Within 10 minutes an otter appeared, popping out of a hole in the ice. It was quite curious about me and eventually sat on the ice about 30 yards away and watched me as I watched it. Meanwhile some beavers came out from the nearby lodge. One went to the far end of the pond, the other swam by me to the near end of the pond and a third nibbled on sticks at the lodge. The beavers and I were quiet; the otter kept up its blowing. After being out perhaps a half hour, the beaver near the dam swam over toward the otter.

Turn the page to see what happened: page32