We were surprised when a pair of River Otters popped up over a river bank to check us out early one morning. Curious and inquisitive they had a quick look and then slipped back down the bank and out of sight.
Later on the family went out for a stroll along the riverbank and all marched in a line…well except for junior who had to make his own way.
Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
nature has no boss 
They always seem to be playing.
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Hi Jim, it does seem that way even when they are hunting in the water for a meal it looks like a kind of effortless play.
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We have them in Iowa, but our local rivers are too dirty from farm runoff. Northeast IA is the most likely place for them. I’d love to see them sometime.
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Do they hang out in the Mississippi river?
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Yes up in the NE corner where it is fed by cleaner streams and rivers.
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Less farming in the NE?
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Yes. NE Iowa escaped the last glacial episode. The landscape is very different. More hills and streams. You’d like it.
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With just a quick glance at the map is does look like the area where the Wisconsin river joins the Mississippi and north could be quite fun to explore. I will have to think about taking a different route to Illinois next time I visit my Father. Thanks for the lead as I always am looking for a new route to rive that way.
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Good places to see such as Effigy Mounds, Pikes Peak St Pk, town of MacGregor, Galena etc.
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Thanks Jim.
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Those pics are just so special Mike, I love otters 🙂
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Thanks Jude.
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This is great! I love otters.
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Thanks Sarah, they are so much fun to watch. hope you have a great weekend.
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Otters are adorable…thought my favourite are sea otters but I hear they have a sinister side behind all that cute, furry, hugableness!
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Hi, Sea Otters are big and I am not sure about sinister but I have heard you don’t want one jumping on your kayak.
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We had a few sightings over the summer, but nothing as clear as these – wonderful, Mike!
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Hi Adam, we did get a bit lucky that morning as they did just appear over the river bank. We were actually watching birds on the other side of the river and out the Otters came. They are so much fun to watch. Did you get to see and Sea Otters while out in Ucluelet this summer?
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Hi Mike,
No we didn’t see any sea otters this time – they are always a sight to smile at – it was river otters and a few harbor seals, and very distant views of sea lions on rocks far from shore. Maybe next time for a sea otter…
I hope your long weekend has been enjoyable.
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I always love when a harbor seal nose pops up nearby while in the kayak and even though you may only get a short glimpse before they dive back down they make it feel like the ocean is not always a big and forbidding as it might seem. The weekend was nice albeit hot for September. The smoke form fires up in Montana has made it all the way down to Denver and gave the weekend a bit of an eerie glow.
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Aww how sweet looking!
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Hi and thanks for the feedback. We do appreciate it. Otters are always a joy to watch and we just felt lucky they allowed us on that morning. Hope you have a great day and a wonderful weekend.
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Gosh, how cute. I love seeing otters. Every so often we come upon a slide in the snow, showing us they passed through during the night.
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Hi Eliza, Otters are so much fun to watch and seeing them playing in the snow would be a wonderful treat.
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We have river otters also. They are one of life’s greatest fun views. They pop up in our pond, dripping curly green hydrilla hair.
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HI Carrie, it must be a treat to see them on a regular basis. They do always seem so inquisitive and playful. A lesson on life for us all to see.
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Oh my gosh! How adorable!
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