Possibly the greatest ear tufts in the world!

I have given up on the hunt of the Ouseburn Otter for now. As it's the season of goodwill and all (any excuse will do), I thought I would give him a break from my relentless tirade against him. Instead I am going after those reds. They're small and furry and cute and, most importantly, hungry. What better way to get footage of a hungry nutaholic than set up camp next to the squirrel feeders at Plessey Woods Country Park. Like the cameras or not, squirrels must eat and a feeder presents a super easy meal (ticket) for all. And things have actually worked out for me on this one.

For once, I have no stories of falling in rivers, getting battered by conkers or being eluded by otters. Just good 'ole footage, which, at the end of the day, is all I really ask for. The frozen toes and lumpy head are just the perks of the job.

But my favourite squirrel shot has got to be this next one. If Carlsberg made squirrel tufts, then this little champ is definitely sporting them. The tufts, my friend, really are blowing in the wind.

A crimi-otter has been caught!

Breaking News. Breaking News. Breaking News. Breaking News.

The rain has stopped and he has been apprehended. The scoundrel of the Ouseburn has been caught on film!

Who gets the reward? I do. Oh yes. Fame, glory and satisfaction are mine all mine.

I know I said that I would settle for a photograph rather than a film of the Ugly Mug of the river but I can't help but feel slightly cheated. What I can't understand is why the camera under the bridge (the filming sort) didn't trigger when you can blatantly see the little critter in front of it. Black otter magic has dealt its cunning card once again. I must admit that I did get a couple of tail shots and one in which the otter sped by in super quick motion but I was so enraged with the unfairness of it all that I swiftly deleted the shots (only to be consumed by regret seconds later - I blame Ugly Mug of course). So yes, I have three photos of the Ouseburn Otter and I should be grateful. But I'm not.

See the camera? Can you see the camera? So annoying. So very annoying. At least the Reconyx RapidFire did it's job right at least once (good camera by the way, the otter is just crafty). This isn't the end of it by any means. I still have the underwater camera to fall back on and I still have a heck of a big stubborn streak.

One in a Million

Did I ever tell you about my amazing wildlife filming experience? One that didn't involve otters or falling into a smelly river? Well, I was lucky enough to go on a Wildlife Filming Course in Bristol last weekend and rub shoulders with the creme de la creme of those in the industry. I got to meet, work with and be tutored by the likes of John Waters, Sarah Pitt and Rob Harrington. For those of you not in the know (oh what an expert I have become!), these guys are good. Really really really good. For example, John's amazing camera work appears on David Attenborough's Planet Earth and the Life Of Birds while producer Sarah Pitt spent a year filming on the Prince of Wales' estate in Gloucestershire. But enough with the gushing. Lets get down to filming business!

Besides staying on a gorgeous 250 acre reserve and feasting on organic food at Folly Farm (owned by the Avon Wildlife Trust) I got to make a real-life wildlife film. Over two days we filmed thousands of starlings swarming on the Somerset Levels and the wildfowl on Chew Valley Lake. We then had the ominous task of editing our footage into a 3 minute film. Sounds easy. Trust me it wasn't. It took us 6 hours to edit about four hours of footage and even then, we could have done with a lot longer (and we had an expert with us!). And don't even get me started on the cameras. They were amazing. Amazingly expensive. Although I don't think WildPlaces will be blowing it's budget on one camera, it was really great to be able to use such a high tech, high definition camera (not that I don't love using the cameras that I already have). I had serious camera envy all weekend. Oh what a geek I'm turning into!

So folks, crank up the volume (it's a 'mood piece' with lovely classical music don't you know!) and enjoy my debut into the wildlife filmmaking world - One in a Million.

My film will appear here once I figure out (or more likely David figures out!) how to get it on here. The delay will be worth the wait though (maybe).

Heres the rough and tough Derwenthaugh otters (looking surprisingly cute - I love the paw tapping action) to whet your appetite.

Guess the Ouseburn Otter didn't get to them after all, or maybe they just missed the comfort of their floating pontoon too much to care. Either way, I got the footage, so I'm happy.

So yes, that weekend was great. I learnt all about the process of film making from conception to completion (the cliches are just rolling off my tongue here), I got to see the spectacle of starlings flocking and I got inspired to buy a tripod. A good weekend all in all.

A cohort of otters perhaps?

Is it possible to have an otter cohort? The Hell's Angels of the otter world united with the Ugly Mug (my new, and much deserved, name for Mr O)? The Derwenthaugh otters have been superb so far, climbing ladders, showing off their battle scars, really playing up for the cameras. Not anymore. On checking the cameras on Friday the only footage I had was of the cadets and a very lonely pontoon which made me feel quite seasick (the pontoon moving, not the cadets). Now, I know that this isn't the most thrilling footage you have ever seen but you must understand what I am up against (plus I thought the sky looked quite nice). Its slim pickings in the wildlife world at the moment, especially when the Ouseburn Otter has such far reaching clutches as this.

And it has started to rain. Something feels familiar here. No otters and lots of rain. At least I have already removed the cameras from the riverbanks so there will be no repeat of river falling-in and soggy waders. Hooray.

Lets now go somewhere where life is peaceful. The squirrel feeder. This is the kind of animal activity that I like. Put the cameras up and they will come (bribed by food of course). This footage was taken in Plessey Woods in Northumberland - one of the remaining strongholds of red squirrels. By the end of next week, I will hopefully have lots more red squirrel footage. Lets just hope that the otters haven't got to them too.

By the way, the minute the rain stops (hmmm, looks like that might be now) the cameras are going back on the riverbanks and the otter is getting cap - tured.

An ugly mug?

Turns out my big idea of photo and video didn't turn out quite as I hoped. So now I am sitting here, contemplating. On the meaning of the Ouseburn Otter. Time to resurrect the idea of the underwater camera? Time to admit to defeat and move onto more accommodating wildlife? I can't. I will not allow an otter to outsmart me. Even one as genetically enhanced as this one. What to do.

Wha - at to do.



Lets turn to the Derwent Haugh for a minute. Now there's a success story. Almost. I have got some great footage of these Tyne otters and my cameras have got some big love from them. But what about the gymnastic manoeuvres? The ladders are proving invaluable for slipping back into the water but how are they getting onto the pontoon in the first place? Probably the ladders (yes, yes I know) but wouldn't it be great if there was some torpedo otter action going on in the early hours of the morning? And I managed to film it? David Attenborough eat your heart out! Here's what I've got so far ....

Now these are the Hells Angels of the otter world. No meagre tributaries for these guys. They cruise the Tyne. The mother of the Newcastle rivers. The dividing line. They are big, mean fighting machines. Just look at those scars. The utter fearlessness. The sheer disdain. The Ouseburn Otter is a wimp. Not cunning. Not conniving. Not clever. Just plain scared. Or ugly. Why else would it be avoiding the cameras at all costs.

Well, I feel better already. Re-inspired. Lets get rolling and get that ugly mug on film.

One last trick up my sleeve

So I braved checking the cameras at last and (I bet you can guess whats coming), I found a lovely selection of otter bum. Time to bring out the big guns. I have a trick up my sleeve. Oh yes, I do. This trick is more commonly known (to the camera aficionado) as the Reconyx Rapid Fire High Output Covert Colour IR RC60HO. It doesn't miss a thing. Up until now, I have put off using this particular camera in my hunt for the otter as it takes only photographs and since I was desperate for video footage of the Ouseburn Otter, I didn't think it was worth putting it out. I also didn't think that getting said footage would be so darn difficult! I have become so beaten down by this otter, that I will now settle for a mere photograph! There will of course still be a video-taking camera rolling in the background as I'm not one to miss an opportunity and what better way to stick it to the Ouseburn Otter than to get a video AND a picture of him. I can't wait.

Thanks to those of you who have emailed in asking about the Ouseburn Otter and promising to keep an eye out for him - I guess braving the conker fall-out was worth it after all. I'm expecting big things.

In other camera news, I have been filming an acrobatic hedgehog in Fenham who has shown a lot more willing than the Ouseburn Otter. It is a bit of a bully (and a little dim it must be said) and seems to love the limelight (shoving those out of the way that dare to take his place) - the perfect candidate for a WildPlaces star in the making. I'm already looking forward to the Spring when DaveCam will be back up, hopefully catching the bully's offspring in action.

Along the Derwent Haugh, cameras are also lurking, poised to capture the antics of a few cheeky otters using a pontoon as their plaything. The pontoon is quite high up off the water (in otter terms that is) so I'm expecting some pretty spectacular otter gymnastics - who knew an otter could climb a ladder, or possibly shoot straight up and out of the water (like a seal, so I guess thats not entirely out of the question) or maybe they are using each other as a live otter ladder. Who knows. I can't wait to find out though.

Fingers crossed that this last trick up my sleeve will prove to be just what the otter ordered and I will have the naughty, naughty critter on film once and for all.

A Dangerous Game

Hunting the Ouseburn Otter has become a dangerous game. In an effort to catch the little critter once and for all, I have been out and about putting up Wanted posters along the Ouseburn River and in a few pubs in the Ouseburn Valley. I have realised that getting this little guy on film is not a one man (or woman) mission. It requires hundreds of vigilant eyes (those are your eyes), mobile phones at the ready (those are your phones), poised to catch him unawares as he dodges yet another of the cameras (unfortunately mine). Well he can't dodge all of the cameras, all of the time, especially if they are disguised in something as innocuous as a mobile phone. Oh I think we might just be closing in.

Anyway, you may be asking yourself why this hunt has become such a dangerous game all of a sudden. Surely braving a golf course and some pretty bad golfers, not to mention getting wet feet, is danger enough? For some. Yes. For me. Of course not. Nature has taken the side of the otter. What I thought would be a seemingly pleasant walk along the Ouseburn this afternoon soon turned into a scene not dissimilar to a war film. Imagine bullets raining down on you but instead of bullets, think conkers. Solid, rock hard conkers. On my head. Yes, I did come back with my arms and legs intact and no shrapnel in sight but I could have done with a great big combat-style helmet to protect me from those conkers 'falling' (oh so innocently) with a vengeance. The hunt for the Ouseburn Otter can be tough indeed. Oh and to add insult to injury, my esteemed colleague Kevin O'Hara (otter spotter extraordinaire) actually SAW the Ouseburn Otter at the end of last week (no camera to hand - surprise surprise. This otter knows its stuff). I'm almost too scared to check the footage. I don't think I will be able to handle another wily otter dodge this month!

The otters in the pictures are the more well behaved cousins of the Ouseburn Otter, currently residing at Gosforth Park and Big Waters respectively. This is what you are looking for (only more sneaky and less accommodating)!

Where has all the otter action gone?

While there is no otter action going on, I thought I would amuse you all with some pictures of the smallest space under the smallest bridge in the world. Now I realise that the space doesn't look all that small but trust me, it is. And can you see the dark cavernous bit stretching up into the distance? Thats the bit I have to get under. This first action of crawling under is child's play. See my shiny white trainers I have on? Not anymore. Minutes after I grabbed hold of the camera, it decided to take a tumble - plinth and all. That meant I too had to tumble - straight into my old nemesis the dirty Ouseburn river (just to clarify, the Ouseburn is not dirty as far as rivers go, just as far as new trainers in rivers do). So now I have no otter pictures and dirty trainers but I did get footage of a fox (again). Exciting stuff really. I really do feel like I'm winning this battle as the Ouseburn Otter is running out of tricks. I feel like everything he can possibly to do outwit me, he's already done. Next week is the week. Just you wait Mr O.

A Bum Deal

This is no longer funny. Yes, I will admit that I believe the Ouseburn Otter is some sort of super-species with a more wiley mind than most and yes, I will admit that I believe much of what the otter has been doing has been in a specific attempt to wind me up. But for an otter to know how a camera works and how much of itself will be caught in the frame? Surely not. Surely this entire fiasco of otter cleverness and deception has been at least partly driven by the Ouseburn Otter's natural behaviour? I'm not so sure anymore. The Ouseburn Otter has certainly shown me, in no uncertain terms, just what he thinks of the WildPlaces project. Not a lot as it happens.

I honestly can't believe this little guy. Would it have been so hard to turn around and smile for the camera. Just once. Instead I get a wonderful shot of an otter bum and the little present he decided to leave behind. Did you see it steam?! Thanks Mr O. To make matters worse, in a fit of cleverness, I set up a camera on the opposite river bank, giving me a fantastic wide angle view - sure to catch any action going on on the mound. Not so. There is some serious otter sorcery going on under this bridge. The camera got some lovely recordings of rats (way smaller than an otter) but just happened to allow a big fat otter wander by undetected. An unlikey partnership between otter and camera has evolved.

Time to step up the game. Keep an eye out for Wanted posters along the Ouseburn River and pubs calling for the Ouseburn Otter's blood (not literally - but oh how I've thought about it!). He must be captured (on film). He must be shot (on camera). Help me out. Please.

Clever Otter

I should have known it would not be a good day when howling wind and lashes of rain greeted me on the golf course this morning. I was just so sure that the Ouseburn Otter would be captured on film, that I could finally put this mission to rest and find some other urban mammals to inconvenience with my cameras. How wrong was I? Pretty wrong. Pre-etty wrong. Things were looking good when I crawled into the tiny space under the bridge. For one, the camera was still there but (and this is exciting) there was also a mountain of fresh spraint - a sure sign that I'd got the little critter on film. So I rushed back to the Trust, chanting "GOTCHA!" all the while and looking like a right loony to the other drivers. This is all I got. Now I know I've never seen the Ouseburn Otter fully and clearly on film but I think it's safe to say that this aint him!

Yep, just the badger and the fox that I already knew was on there. And to top it all off, the time and date on the camera has a mind of its own - I promise that this isn't from 2008 (when I had absolutely no idea of the torment the Ouseburn Otter would cause). But my real mistake? A simple schoolboy error that Iwill be kicking myself for many weeks (well, lets be realistic - months, maybe years) to come - I let the batteries run out and the Ouseburn Otter ran in, undetected. Again. Clever, clever otter. Silly, silly me.

My New Camera Adventures

So the new cameras are ready and waiting for any unsuspecting mammals passing them by. With lots of help from Newcastle City Council rangers Mike and Neil I have been on a frenzy of camera activity and set up 5 cameras to capture images of otter, red squirrel and fox (if these animals cooperate that is). The first camera that we set up was under some very dense and thorny undergrowth that a fox had decided would be a very good place for a den. Unfortunately though, this particular spot was clearly not so good a place for anything larger than fox-sized (and I am clearly larger than a fox). Never mind, in I went and although I didn't lose any eyes in the process, I did gain a few more WildPlaces battle scars to add to my collection. The next site we arrived at is, I'm assured, full of red squirrels (needless to say I wasn't impressed when the first dog walker we bumped into was adamant that only deer used this reserve - but I think I'm going to go with the rangers on this one). So the next two cameras had Mike hanging at a precarious angle in a couple of Scots Pines - one hand weilding the camera and strap, the other clinging to the side of the ladder. At this point I was torn between telling him to reach higher and further to really get deep into that red squirrel territory or whether I really wanted to apply my First Aid skills to a real live person. Lucky for me, Mike made it down the tree unscathed and we set off in pursuit of our last urban mammal of the day - the otter. Already wary of otters due to my run-ins with the Ouseburn Otter I wasn't expecting any miracles and I certainly didn't get them! Setting up these two cameras meant wading through very sludgy water that sucked at my feet at every opportunity and somehow ending up with wet socks at the end of it, despite wearing a very new pair of waders. The cameras were duly set up and there was lots of otter spraint around which is always a good sign (but not a guarantee of an otter sighting I have learnt) so I'm hoping that the Ouseburn Otter is the black sheep (or otter) of the family and all other otters in the Newcastle area will be wonderfully behaved and not in the least camera shy.

I will be checking the Stealth Cam 500 for Ouseburn Otter footage next week so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Even The Fox Is At It

There is still no sign of the Ouseburn Otter. On checking Stealth Cam earlier this week I was surprised to see not one, but two badgers, frolicking under the bridge as well as a heron AND a fox merrily sniffing a mountain of now ageing spraint. I am not impressed! I have not been back to the bridge since as a) I think I might just curl up under said bridge and never come out again if I don't see footage of an actual otter soon and b) - and more reasonably I think - I am working on the assumption that the Ouseburn Otter can smell my presence (not surprisinging after all my run-ins with the river) and is refusing to come out until he is completely satisfied that I have given up on him and gone. No such luck Mr O. So yes, it's been a pretty uneventful week with regards to the otter as I wait to lull him into a false sense of security. I have however been having lots of success finding new and unsuspecting critters to set my sights on. A badger sett is fast becoming my new point of obsession but rest assured I will not give up on the Ouseburn Otter until I have him securely on film. My other 'projects' include getting some great footage of red squirrels - bring on adventures with ladders up trees - and after nearly having both my eyes poked out and my face suitably gouged by hawthorn and brambles, I came across a fox den which could prove to be very interesting. I just wonder if these mammals will prove as difficult and tiresome as the Ouseburn Otter. Only time will tell.

A water-filled welly...

My week started with a much anticipated (and dreaded, if I'm honest) visit to the golf course to put Stealth Cam 500 back in its rightful place. Failing to build some amazing otter-proof contraption on Friday, I thought it best to take the camera home with me over the weekend and figure something out. Cue me sending a desperate text message to Bob, cursing the Ouseburn Otter and all things otter-ish. Now, as I'm sure you have all figured out by now, Bob is a hero. Not only has he rescued my cameras from a watery grave, built Fish Island in the middle of the Ouseburn and dispatched of a number of fame hungry spiders for me, he has now come to my rescue re constucting an otter-proof contraption. In reply to my plea for help over the weekend, Bob came up with the idea of building an otter-proof plinth. Yes, a plinth! So now Stealth Cam 500 is proudly sitting under the smallest bridge in the history of bridges on it's very own throne. And it hasn't been knocked down once this week. Amazing. I do, however, have a confession to make. I have grown wise over these past weeks and now when on shuffling under the smallest bridge in the history of bridges, I am kitted out in waterproof trousers, coat and wellies. This has made me careless. I soon learnt that waterproofs and wellies do not a dry person make. You see, I underestimated the Ouseburn and tried to cross it (clearly to get to the other side!). It gobbled me up like a river possesed and left me with a wellington full of smelly water and an extremely soggy sock. The acrobatics I performed that day on the golf course to get only one foot wet were second to none. Add to this the leaves and mud in my hair and goodness knows what else from under that bridge and you can imagine the kind of mood I was in when I arrived in the office. I would now like to take this opportunity to thank Kirsty for the loan of her lovely and dry stripey socks that day and for not mentioning the smell of river water emanating from my jeans. So yes, my confession. All this time I have been blaming the Ouseburn Otter for knocking over my camera and ruining my life when all along it was innocent (well, as innocent as the Ouseburn Otter can be). The creature causing all my under-the-bridge misery (and I have the evidence on film) has actually been a badger. But you see, badgers are neither sneaky nor particularly clever (when compared to the mastermind of the Ouseburn Otter) so I don't hold this against it. I still however do hold a grudge against the Ouseburn Otter. Why? Well you know all the mountains of spraint that I was practically eating for breakfast while finding Stealth Cam flat in the mud? This has now stopped and I have a horrible feeling that while Stealth Cam sits proudly on its plinth, the Ouseburn Otter is going to stop all visitations to the best sprainting spot he will probably ever know. Sorry Ouseburn Otter but your tricks just make me all the more determined to capture you on film and plaster your face all over the North East!

So this is how accommodating and well behaved an otter can be. Take note of how the 'Borough otters do it Mr O!

Practice those wildlife photography skills people!

Here in the North East we have some amazing wildlife that is literally right on our doorstep! Seeing as I am waiting for a lot of you to upload your own great photos and videos of said wildlife (www.urbanwildlife.co.uk for links) I thought that I would give you all some inspiration. I found this really great article in Fox UK (thefoxwebsite.org) which gives some handy tips for photographing foxes - hope you enjoy it and try these tips out!!

Wildlife photographer MARK HAMBLIN explains how to take great photos of your local foxes.

"Foxes are often very visible in our gardens and parks and provide new and exciting opportunities for photography. Contact with humans has made some foxes increasingly tolerant of people, and they can become surprisingly tame – all great news for photographers. To get you started, here are my top tips to help capture that magical moment.

1. Concentrate your photography early and late in the day, when foxes are most active.
2. Look for well-worn ‘fox paths’ or an active earth in spring, where you can set up a camera nearby and wait.
3. Keep your distance to avoid disturbance. Try photographing the fox as part of its environment or use a telephoto lens for close-ups.
4. Position yourself downwind to avoid detection and wear camouflaged or dark clothing.
5. Wear gloves, even in summer, as foxes may well spot the movement of your hands.
6. Pay careful attention to the background and either place the fox in context or shoot against a plain backdrop to make it stand out.
7. Try to use backlighting (photographing towards the sun) to highlight the fox’s ears and create an attractive pictorial effect.
8. Keep a low profile and shoot at eye level for more intimate portraits.
9. Be patient and remain still, avoiding any sudden movements.
10 . Photograph using natural light. A sudden blast of flash will often cause alarm.

This wonderful footage of fox cubs playing in Newcastle was taken by Bob Wilkin - thanks Bob!

The Fish Island Kingfisher

The rain has finally calmed in it's tirade against the North East but yesterday was still a sad day for all. David arrived in Gosforth to dismantle the cameras that have become quite at home in Bob's back garden. After about six weeks of otter pursuing, I'm afraid to say that I have given up (kind of). Well, on the big camera system at least. I have changed my tactic to more stealth, more Ouseburn Otter caught unawares. So, the big cameras have come down and in their place is one stealth camera. Under a bridge. On a golf course (as you all know). This probably means that Fish Island will now be teeming with otters whereas the only mammal it was teeming with before was rats. Go figure. Interestingly enough, Fish Island does have a new resident - a kingfisher! This particular kingfisher has defied all evolutionary logic and taken to diving for its dinner off the island (rather than the more traditional branch or perch). I'm glad that something is getting good use out of that island!

So yes, stealth cam 500 is up and running which now means I spend most of my early mornings flattened under the lowest bridge in history, face level with the most otter spraint that I have seen in my life! I can only thank the otter gods that it is the odour of jasmine tea dangerously close to my mouth rather than the foul smelling poo of some other animal. While there is a frustratingly large amount of spraint under this bridge, there is a frustratingly small amount of otter footage on my camera (try none). This is because the Ouseburn Otter is smart. And sneaky. Although I have set the camera up and made sure that it is well wedged and going nowhere, so far I have slithered up to a camera that is face down, recording images of dirt. How does the otter do this?! I just know that my Friday afternoon is going to be spent building an otter-proof contraption so I can rest easy over the weekend, knowing that the Ouseburn Otter will not get the better of me again!

Fish Island

In the latest quest to get the Ouseburn Otter to 'perform' in front of the cameras, Bob has built himself a fish island. That is, a mini island in the middle of the Ouseburn river to which Bob has pegged a large and rather delicious piece of fish. The idea is that the Ouseburn Otter will pass this island on one of his jaunts down the river and not be able to resist the lure of a free and very large meal. As discussed before, this large and prominent structure in the middle of the river should also prove irresistible to him (the otter not Bob), thus causing him to pose and frolick on said island, right in front of the cameras. I doubt the Ouseburn has ever offered something this good!

So far (one night), all that Fish Island has been able to attract is rats. So, on the learning side of things, who knows the difference between a rat and a watervole? Well, a water vole has small hidden ears while the rat (as seen in the video) has big ears - pretty easy to spot really. Water voles also have blunt noses (as opposed to a rats pointy one) and a shorter, furry tail (i'm sure you've all seen a rat in a petshop which has a long, pink, scaly tail). Less obvious differences include a water vole's fur which is silky and midbrown (a wild rat's is more grey) and on jumping into the water, a watervole makes a distinctive 'plop' sound. Why is this important? Well, water voles have disappeared from almost 90 per cent of the sites they occupied in the UK in the last 60 years, a fact which we can all do something about. Although American mink can largely be blamed for this decline, so can human interference - water voles are commonly mistaken for rats (hence the ID lesson above) and are prosecuted because of this. We have also had a lot to do with the destruction of their habitat and pollution of waterways, not making it easy for those water voles clever enough to outsmart the mink to survive. Lesson over but please try to remember these differences and think before you carry out any kind of 'pest control' near waterways.

The rain has (once again) set in so I think I'm going to have to pull on the old waders and the waterproof coat (once again) and go and rescue my cameras (once again). I can't bear the thought of Bob falling over that prickly, prickly hedge and heading downstream all for the sake of my cameras!

PS I hope that with your (perhaps) newfound knowledge you spotted the picture above is of a watervole and NOT a rat!

The Ouseburn Otter Strikes Again!

The entire week that I have been away (York, since you ask), I have been dreaming of otters - hundreds of otters frolicking in the 'Burn while I captured all of their wonderful antics on camera, thousands of otters blowing fishy kisses at me, millions of otters clambering through Bob's vegetable patch in a decidedly unotter-like fashion. However, the night that I dreamed the Ouseburn Otter had turned into a human being and bit me was the night I finally knew that he/she/it (?!) was getting to me in a way that no fish eating, aquatic mammal should. It was definitely time to bring on the dum dum dum ... Stealth Trail Camera 500. Okay, so I added the 500 for effect but I still think it sounds like a pretty impressive piece of equipment. So my plan hasn't really changed since last week, all I need to do is pick up the Stealth Trail cameras from Rainton Meadows in Durham and film the fur off the Ouseburn Otter. I will be putting this into effect as of tomorrow morning. Today however, I had a rather nice surprise. Bob has been looking after the cameras for me while I have been away, diligently checking the footage every morning and saving anything that could be of interest. Unfortunately, sometime during the week the rain came down with a vengeance, prompting the Environment Agency to issue a flood warning and Bob to lean over a very prickly hedge in a very precarious position and fish the cameras out of the river. Yes, the cameras were saved from suffering the same fate as the Moultrie but the Ouseburn Otter was saved from being captured on film. Again. No worries, despondent after hearing this story, my day soon brightened when I found a real little gem of a clip from last night. I finally have the Ouseburn Otter on film!! No ripples or bow waves while he lurks beneath the water and no spider legs and moth wings to shelter the him from the limelight (Bob has handily placed a can of insect spray in his shed, the hub of the quest for the Ouseburn Otter, and labelled it "only to be used on spiders, moths etc that fancy being film stars"). Brilliant or what?! So yes, the elusive Ouseburn Otter has finally been captured on film, in full view (something which the Stealth Cam should hopefully elaborate on) and the comment most made by those that see him - "Ooooh, isn't that a small one?"

Why badgers are better ...

I have devised a plan to catch the Ouseburn Otter on film - no spider legs or sneaky underwater moves included! I will need 1 x bridge with prominent outcrop that the otter can't resist, 1 x super duper otter seeking infrared camera, 1 x relatively safe (and dry!) spot under said bridge and, most importantly, 1 x unsuspecting Ouseburn Otter. I think this master plan might just work. I have found the bridge with dry spot and prominent outcrop (thanks Bob), the camera is on its way as I type (thanks Cheryl) and the otter is unsuspecting (no thanks to the otter there!). A few days ago myself and Bob (who has the Ouseburn Otter frequenting the bottom of his garden) went on a bridge inspecting frenzy. We came up triumphant. Admittedly this bridge is in the same area that flood waters destroyed the Moultrie but it is far superior. Unless it rains for the biblical 40 days and 40 nights, I am almost certain that my camera will be safe. The 'prominent outcrop' that I keep mentioning is particularly important as it provides an irresistible spot for the Ouseburn Otter to spraint, which it already has on several occassions. For those not in the know, spraint is what we commonly call poo but it is so much more than that! Aside from the usual marking of territory, otter spraint lets other otters know about gender, social status - for example ­if a male is resident in his home range or is just visiting - or if female, whether the otter is ready to mate. In other words, spraint is a really important tool in otter communication and lets other otters know who has been where and how they are doing. Another interesting fact about spraint is that it actually smells quite pleasant! Jasmine tea, mown grass and honey are some of the words used to describe the smell. Anyway, enough about poo!

So yes, the scene is set and the camera will be put in place sometime next week - keep your fingers crossed that the Ouseburn Otter will finally be captured on camera with no water to hide itself and no spiders ruining my shots!

So now I come to why badgers are better. In a nutshell, all this ranting and plan devising above is precisely why I think badgers are better. They stick to the same paths, they squeeze under the same fence nearly every night, a few scattered peanuts and they're yours!! I don't mean to generalise and suggest that all badgers are this easy to win over but this has been my experience so far - much more predicatable than otters! And you would never catch a badger submerging itself in a river and swimming gaily out of sight.

Tragedy has struck!!

In my never ending efforts to capture footage of the otter swimming down the Ouseburn, I set up one of our WildPlaces Moultrie motion activated cameras underneath a bridge on a golf course in Newcastle upon Tyne. The very weekend that I found this brilliant spot, it decided to rain. And rain. And rain. Cue me, on a very early Monday morning, up to my waist in muddy river water trying to rescue the camera. I shouldn't have bothered! The only sign of life was a very determined laser beam shining out of the camera and a final, blurred picture of the water rising over the camera. Muddy river water dripped from every possible crevice. A thorough drying out did no good either. As David, a fellow WildPlaces Officer pointed out "Once the circuit board has been submerged, there's no hope!" So, needless to say, the fast-becoming notorious Ouseburn Otter has evaded me again! My spirits were (briefly) lifted this morning when an otter swam into view of one of my more safely placed cameras on the banks of the Ouseburn. But, as I am fast learning, nothing is ever simple in the world of filming otters! A huge spider leg and a moth obscured the view of the otter playing right in front of the cameras (check this out below). And true to form, at 4am this morning as the otter made his way back home, it cunningly swam under the water, leaving me with only a few ripples and the distinct sound of an otter laughing .....

The photo above (by BBC Tyne) is to give me hope, reminding me of happier times when flooding did not concern me or my cameras and the Ouseburn Otter was captured, albeit under the shadow of a spider, on film. This camera still survives on the banks of the Ouseburn, watching and waiting. RIP Moultrie.

Amazing wildlife is closer than you think ...

We have now been working on WildPlaces for just over 3 months and have filmed some amazing images of wildlife in the North East. I hope you have been checking out the footage that WildPlaces has captured so far on FaceBook , YouTube and Flickr - they are brilliant, if I say so myself!! Seriously though, I promise you will be surprised at the huge variety of wildlife that urban areas in the North East have to offer, from badgers crawling under fences to kingfishers diving for stickleback in the Ouseburn and otters stealing koi carp out of garden ponds - all on the cities doorstep! So far we have captured footage of badger, fox, otter, kingfisher, bats, hedgehog, heron, roe deer and rabbit. While all wild animals are rather shy and not always easy to film, I have had particular trouble catching notoriously elusive otters on film. Nevertheless, we are getting some great footage but can always do with your help. If you think that you can do better and have some great pictures or films of wildlife that you would like to share then please get in touch (http://www.urbanwildplaces.co.uk to find out more), we need to share the wonders of North East wildlife with everyone!

I have included a few clips of the footage so far and am looking forward to all your comments and fabulous photos!

Welcome to WildPlaces

Hi Everyone and welcome to WildPlaces, the Springwatch of the North East!!!

The WildPlaces team are out and about in our region initially focusing on urban mammals. We aim to photograph and film these amazing animals in their natural habitats - with your help!


Get involved.....

Manage the cameras and equipment
Tell us if you know of any areas with urban mammals
Help us in practical habitat conservation
Send us your own local wildlife photos

We look forward to hearing from you :)

Photograph of a badger in the Durham area by S. Charlton