OTTER at Barham Pits - 22/8/2017

I thought abut going to Trimley today, but couldn't be bothered to go through all the hassle of getting there, so I went local and visited Barham Pits. Expectations were not high, as this site is pretty rubbish, because although it looks picturesque and wild, it is intensively managed as fishing lakes.
So it came as a surprise to come across an OTTER there, on part of Pit B. It was very wary and I only saw it a couple of times, as it didn't come up too often and I wasn't able to take any photos. It was well aware of me, occasionally popping its head up to peep at me.
Although the pits would appear to be OTTER heaven, with all the fish there, it had also entered the viper's pit. This is one of the few areas in the countryside where OTTERS are not welcome. I doubt these fisher men, who own and manage the pits, have a sympathetic view of nature, and I think would have little compunction in killing an OTTER. If there are no witnesses no one reports them. I hope the OTTER hides away, and then escapes into the night, without coming to any harm. But I doubt it will - its fate looks bleak.

There were few water birds about. A COOT family had raised three chicks on Meadowlands pit, whilst the other pair on Pit A didn't raise any. On Meadowlands there was another GREBE chick, with one also on Pit B, so I think maybe five birds have been fledged across the pits. There were a pair of SWANS on Pit B but they didn't nest this year.

Being a messy, overgrown wetland area, there are lots of small birds. A large flock of birds, mainly TITS and CHIFFCHAFFS, also included some GOLDCRESTS, and a TREECREEPER. A GREY WAGTAIL flew over and there were several KINGFISHER about, very noisy birds when you learn their call. There were lots of WOODPECKERS, with several moving through the site, always such pretty birds.
So alright then, always good to see an OTTER, but apart from that not much else. From the for sale signs around, it seems the site has come up for sale, so maybe a chance to buy it up and create some wildlife refuges or a chance it becomes worse.