25th November 2011

WEYMOUTH: First otter safari is a sell out

WEYMOUTH’S very first otter safari sold out days before the event.

The RSPB two-hour night walk through the Radipole Lake reserve tried to find the elusive mammals along the River Wey between the Swannery car park and Southill.

The otters kept out of the group’s way but walk leader Luke Phillips found several pieces of spraint, or otter dung, some of which was so fresh it was less than an hour old.

Walkers were also able to see numerous otter tracks while the reserve’s wildlife was out in force.

There was everything from water voles noisily diving into the water to a frog, fish, herons, moorhen, grebe and what Luke said was a rare coastal sighting of a woodcock, the bird being picked out in the beam of Luke’s torch.

He said: “Otters have been using the reserve for a number of years, but this was the first chance for the people of Weymouth to actually go out and look for them.

“We were so unlucky because we found their tracks, their spraint and we could see where they had ploughed their way through water weed. Some of the signs were so fresh we must just have missed them.”

The reserve has a resident otter population with up to four in a family group as well as lone male otters.

Luke said: “The walk served a dual purpose because it let us survey the area at night with 20 willing pairs of eyes to help us.

“We hope to hold further otter safaris, particular when the weather is colder and they are easier to spot.”

PICTURE: ON THE TRAIL - The otter safari group