Rarer Sightings Of Otters And Polecats

[Andrewcook]

Has any forum member seen an Otter or Polecat around the Norfolk Broads?

[RS2021]

I don't think otter sightings are uncommon. I've seen them on a couple of occasions. Once by St Benets and once by How Hill.

[rightsaidfred]

Otters are everywhere, not difficult to see 4 or 5 in a day if you know where to look.

Fred

[marshman]

Polecats not likely as they are even rare in Scotland and the North West - as Fred said otters are everywhere, but not  necessarily at times humans are around!

[ChrisB]

I think Andrew is confusing a Polecat with The American Mink of which all signs point to its elimination in Broadland and much of Norfolk and Suffolk.

[Norfolkangler]

As mentioned above, they are everywhere now, including peoples gardens who are not anywhere near the waterways.. 

Otters may be lovely fluffy things, but they ain't every ones favourite. 

[dom]

40 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

I think Andrew is confusing a Polecat with The American Mink of which all signs point to its elimination in Broadland and much of Norfolk and Suffolk.

More likely posting in relation to this article.

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24556493.norfolk-wildlife-trust-looks-reintroduction-polecats/

[dom]

1 hour ago, marshman said:

Polecats not likely as they are even rare in Scotland and the North West

There are suggestions that they're becoming increasingly common in Cambridgeshire around the Great Fen project, so not far from Norfolk.

[Gracie]

I remember fishing on the end mooring at Hoveton viaduct, the fishing was brilliant, a fish a cast, then it stopped suddenly. I got on the boat for a break, glass of wine and a gongoozle before heading back out to fish and there, frollicking on the waters edge was a pair of Otters. I realised then why the fish disappeared, the pesky things nicked me peg  A  nice sight to behold though

Grace x

[Norfolkangler]

5 minutes ago, Gracie said:

a gongoozle

Now there's a phrase you seldom hear now. Growing up as a kid around Yarmouth, we always had a Gonggoozle at the Grockles.

[kpnut]

I was thinking of commenting about otters in the next day of so.
I’ve seen far fewer this year than the last couple. Maybe they’re just keeping out of my way. 

[kpnut]

1 minute ago, Norfolkangler said:

we always had a Gonggoozle at the Grockles

Or even at the rubberneckers. 

[Gracie]

10 minutes ago, Norfolkangler said:

Now there's a phrase you seldom hear now. Growing up as a kid around Yarmouth, we always had a Gonggoozle at the Grockles.

Our lovely friend and pesky mod Alan (RanworthBreeze) sadly not with us anymore always used the phrase gongoozling while out on the rivers, it's stayed with me and a word I use a lot now because of that lovely man

Grace x

[CambridgeCabby]

I still see the ones that hang around Wroxham bridge , the usual couple at Womack and Gays I haven’t seen ( or heard) this season 

[ChrisB]

16 minutes ago, Gracie said:

Our lovely friend and pesky mod Alan (RanworthBreeze) sadly not with us anymore always used the phrase gongoozling while out on the rivers, it's stayed with me and a word I use a lot now because of that lovely man

Grace x

Probably because Alan's first love was the canal system. Pretty sure Gongoozlers is a canal boating term for those who stand and watch at locks.

[webntweb]

5 hours ago, ChrisB said:

Pretty sure Gongoozlers is a canal boating term for those who stand and watch at locks.

You're talking about most of my crew on our canal holidays.

[BroadAmbition]

Has any forum member seen an Otter or Polecat around the Norfolk Broads?

Far too many otters around nowadays imho.

They have no upper predator,  Decimating coot & moorhen populations, not to mention the fish stocks and other wildfowl

Griff

[Smoggy]

1 minute ago, BroadAmbition said:

They have no upper predator, 

Got any good recipes Griff? 

[Andrewcook]

Griff does a very good Rabbit Stew may I add

[Norfolkangler]

8 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Has any forum member seen an Otter or Polecat around the Norfolk Broads?

Far too many otters around nowadays imho.

They have no upper predator,  Decimating coot & moorhen populations, not to mention the fish stocks and other wildfowl

Griff

I thought long and hard before putting on my post on this topic. Didn't want to upset any one as each to their own. 

I am glad you added the coot and moorhen issue Griff as there seems to be a general lack of them. I know I am only around the bankside and not boating, but I do talk to the locals. With out exception, everyone I have spoken to in the last couple of years have commented on the lack of coots and moorhens. I did hear rumblings that otters were causing havoc at Minsmere nature reserve along the Suffolk coast last spring with the ground nesting birds, taking eggs and chicks.

I guess its only a matter of time before one is recorded decimating a Bitterns nest. There is the well known Youtube video of an otter taking out a goose!!!

Before anyone starts, I am a firm believer in live and let live, but certain things just need to be controlled. I am not saying that we go back and hunt them to extinction, just control therm.

I remember years ago when I saw my first otter at Haddiscoe. I felt privileged, as I always do with a rare sighting. In a funny sort of way I still get a buzz when I see them now, which is just about every time I am out fishing.

[Mouldy]

15 hours ago, kpnut said:

I was thinking of commenting about otters in the next day of so.
I’ve seen far fewer this year than the last couple. Maybe they’re just keeping out of my way. 

Funny you should mention that.  When we returned to our marina on Bank Holiday Monday, I was giving the boat a quick clean and someone I hadn’t seen there before wandered round, looking in the rivers.  It turned out that he has a boat moored there that he uses for fishing and also runs a fishing lake.  He said that fish stocks on The Broads are better this year than they have been for a long time.  I asked him about potential damage done by otters and he explained that otter numbers are levelling out, as they are returning to their natural way of life as territorial creatures and not how they were when reintroduced to The Broads, where they had been bred in captivity and had temporarily become pack animals.

I must say that I haven’t seen any otters this year on our Broadland travels.  I’ve seen more seals on the rivers than otters this year.

If anyone is interested, there have been some fair sized mullet swimming around in Hobrough’s Dyke recently.

[Turnoar]

Just took a gander at the otter trust website to see what they’re up to these days, all sorts of other things except er otters… 

[ExSurveyor]

I was surprised by the huge numbers of small fish in and around the marina this summer. I have never seen this many before. Also noted a good number of big mullet as well.

[Norfolkangler]

I must agree. Shine a torch or headlight down the edge of the rivers after dark, and they are FULL of fry. That's both North and South.

Its great for future generations of fish. 

[YnysMon]

Spotted two otters swimming together this morning just north of Johnny Crowe's staithe.