Hi Anna, I understand about the electric fence. You don't want to discourage all the wildlife that comes to your pond. How about encouraging all your neighbors to get ponds too, so that the otters can take turns at the various ponds!? Your pond sounds great. Do you have any pictures you could share? I have no idea how aggressive or shy otters are. Have you ever seen those motion-detector scarecrows that shoot water out when they sense motion? They probaby would scare away other creatures too though. Well, maybe this "attack" was a one-time occurence. That would be nice. Would the otters come from just one direction? Is there a way of putting up some sort of trip-wire that would activate an alarm in your house, so you could at least try to scare them off, if they showed up again? Are they mostly active in the day or night? Surely there are other people around with ponds who have the same problem, who might be able to give you suggestions? At least its not alligators!

Goodness, Liz, after schlepping the 300f2.8 on a two hr. hike this past weekend to see golden eagles my shoulders were shot for a few days, I cannot imagine ~hand-holding~ the 500mm (and in fact after seeing how sore I was with the 300, decided against purchasing the 500mm)....and then I see your images and know why I wanted one LOL. Amazing you photographed a pileated in flight, and I'm so envious,I've been trying to find my local barred owl for the past two years. Thanks so much for sharing your images! Debi in NY

Oh, my..what pictures! Many of those would be lifers for me. Thank you so much for sharing those beautiful birds, and photos, with us Wish I could duck down to Florida for the weekend again. It was eight degrees this morning and there's a wind. Fun.

Probably a little blue heron. In real life they look very dark all over, not the reddish purple in the field guides.