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Like it's predecessor, it was taken home (in a plastic pot I reserve for such matters) and dissected it. The best way I've found is to soak it water, not only does it come apart but the jasmine smell becomes stronger - making it evident that is an otter.
I suspected that it might contain signs of crayfish - as I have found two dead ones in the past twelve months (one almost definately a victim of an otter), instead it consisted of small fish bones (like the first one), the 1p coin is to give a sense of scale:
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When leaving the bridge, I thought I saw something swim across the river - to big to be a water vole and definitely not a moorhen, although one was making a swift exit. So not only have I found another spraint, but perhaps I got a quick glimpse of one of the rarest and elusive creatures in Oxfordshire.
Like the best animal mysteries, no photographic evidence was recorded.
Great news - Richard, and well done for your persistence in monitoring the area. Let us hope Otters continue to visit the Ock and maybe stay to breed.
ReplyDeleteThanks David,
ReplyDeleteI have only surveyed the south bank, so there may be spraints on the inaccessible north bank.
I wonder if otter activity increases on the ock during winter when the water gets higher.
There seem to be enough trees on the banks for an otter make a holt, so maybe we will have breeding otters at some point. As they are so elusive they may already be breeding on the ock and we don't know.