I was admiring the dramatic sky over the Clyde this evening (about 9PM) so I took my camera down to Dunoon pier to take some photos-

There is a bit of a rig doing something to the water works- but it looks a bit like an oilfield has been found just off Dunoon!

I decided to change to the longer lens, and while I was fiddling (of course it would be whilst the camera had NO LENS!) swimming in front of me, less than 10 metres away, were two otters.

Yes- OTTERS!

I could not believe my eyes.

I attached the lens as fast as I  could, but this was my first effort, as they rolled over one another playfully-

Oops. Well it was very dark, and I was very excited.

I have never seen an otter in the wild before- and here they were, in Dunoon? Right in the centre, under the pier? On holiday perhaps?

I wondered whether I could be seeing something else- a couple of cats learning to swim? Mink? But actually, two otters at play that close are not easily mistaken for anything else.

They saw me watching them, and swam to the old pier, where they paused and watched me. So here are the photo’s-

I believe that otter have been spotted in all sorts of urban areas along the Clyde, even in Glasgow. But I have not heard of them being seen in Dunoon.

A couple of young otters on their way out along the Clyde perhaps? Doon the watter for a holiday?