So did we find otters? Yes we did!!
The morning we spent on the white beach sadly did not yield any sightings (I think our midge-deterring moves probably put them off!) but later that evening, our luck changed...
We were driving around the edge of a sea loch when I spotted a shape swimming through the sunlit water. From such a distance I couldn't tell if it was a seal or an otter, but just in case, I pulled into the next layby, ran to the boot and grabbed my camera.
Through my viewfinder, I could make out that the top of its head was not completely smooth. Two small ears were just poking through. Otter! Then it dived and I saw the characteristic tail flick as it went under. Definitely otter!
We crept along the shoreline, gradually sneaking closer as the otter swam. After a little while, it clambered out onto some seaweed-covered rocks, sniffed around, gave us a stare and slipped back into the loch. The light was magical, gleaming off its dripping coat. I was very excited to get this shot!
A little further up the shoreline, it resurfaced and foraged among the seaweed. We tried to follow, but each time it resurfaced it just got further and further away.
I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the life of a Mull otter! It was a beautiful encounter.
Technical details: Canon 7D MKII + 100-400mm lens with 1.4x extender at 560mm; 1/1000 sec at f/8; ISO 400.