Today I snuck away from the students to the deeper water pond area of our
wetlands research area to look for ducks. Just before I arrived at the
clearing where I could see the pond there was a ruckous of duck quacks, and
although I was still screened from the area I thought perhaps I had been
seen. I snuck up to a hole in the vegetation and at the far side of the lake
2 pairs of mallards were quacking and making all kinds of splashing. The
object of their excitement was a river otter, who slinked about the pond
edge, ignoring the protests of the duck, and was nosing about in the grass.
I assumed it was looking for duck eggs or young. The otter ducked out of
view upon hearing human voices.

It makes sense that otters would eat the eggs or young of ducks, but I have
not found much information about this.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher



--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.3 - Release Date: 4/5/2005