Otters

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Annie Huang

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Apr 2, 2022, 1:40:13 AM4/2/22
to Whatcom Burds Birds
I saw a pair of otters at Padden Lagoon on Thursday morning while visiting the Heron Rookery. Are they sea otters? I assume it is rare to see them at the lagoon. Thank you inadvance. 

Have a nice weekend. 
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Barry Ulman

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Apr 2, 2022, 1:46:01 AM4/2/22
to Annie Huang, Whatcom Birds
Nice shots of the Otters. I think they are River Otters. I also saw two Otters at Wylie Slough this afternoon.

Barry Ulman


On Apr 1, 2022, at 10:39 PM, Annie Huang <anniehu...@gmail.com> wrote:

I saw a pair of otters at Padden Lagoon on Thursday morning while visiting the Heron Rookery. Are they sea otters? I assume it is rare to see them at the lagoon. Thank you inadvance. 

Have a nice weekend. 

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Mary Francell-Sharfstein

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Apr 2, 2022, 2:16:38 AM4/2/22
to Annie Huang, Whatcom Burds Birds
I've seen them in the bay and in Scudder Pond. Pretty sure they are river otters - sea otters are larger and also more rare.

Mary

On Fri, Apr 1, 2022 at 10:40 PM Annie Huang <anniehu...@gmail.com> wrote:
I saw a pair of otters at Padden Lagoon on Thursday morning while visiting the Heron Rookery. Are they sea otters? I assume it is rare to see them at the lagoon. Thank you inadvance. 

Have a nice weekend. 

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Mary Francell-Sharfstein
(she/her/hers)
"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." 
Martin Luther King, Jr. 

joseph hutchinson

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Apr 2, 2022, 7:37:01 AM4/2/22
to Annie Huang, WHATCOMBIRDS
Three or four years ago I saw a family (2 adults and 3 pups ) frolicing on the Coast Gaurd pier.  Always take a peak when in the neighbor. Always hopeful.



On Fri, Apr 1, 2022, 10:40 PM Annie Huang <anniehu...@gmail.com> wrote:
I saw a pair of otters at Padden Lagoon on Thursday morning while visiting the Heron Rookery. Are they sea otters? I assume it is rare to see them at the lagoon. Thank you inadvance. 

Have a nice weekend. 

--

David Helm

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Apr 2, 2022, 11:37:57 AM4/2/22
to joseph hutchinson, Annie Huang, WHATCOMBIRDS
Definitely river otters. Periodically we get them in our pond. Sea otters look very different. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 2, 2022, at 4:37 AM, joseph hutchinson <kahn...@gmail.com> wrote:



Peggy Parker

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Apr 2, 2022, 12:13:09 PM4/2/22
to David Helm, joseph hutchinson, Annie Huang, WHATCOMBIRDS
Agreed -- absolutely river otters. Great photos, thank you! 

Suzetta

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Apr 2, 2022, 12:48:36 PM4/2/22
to Whatcom Burds Birds
Thanks for sharing the photos.

EmojiSuzettaEmoji




On Friday, April 1, 2022, 10:40:37 PM PDT, Annie Huang <anniehu...@gmail.com> wrote:


I saw a pair of otters at Padden Lagoon on Thursday morning while visiting the Heron Rookery. Are they sea otters? I assume it is rare to see them at the lagoon. Thank you inadvance. 

Have a nice weekend. 

--

Philip Hotlen

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Apr 2, 2022, 3:04:40 PM4/2/22
to Suzetta, Whatcom Burds Birds
Many years ago I saw an Otter off of Marine Park. At first I thought it was a seal, being quite large. But the literature rules out Sea Otters being around here.

P. Hotlen, B'ham


Suzetta

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Apr 2, 2022, 3:10:40 PM4/2/22
to Whatcom Birds
I thought northern sea otters ranged from Washington to Alaska.

EmojiSuzettaEmoji

Sheila Sondik

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Apr 2, 2022, 3:31:39 PM4/2/22
to Suzetta, Whatcom Birds
When I would see sea otters in California, most often in the Carmel/Point Lobos area, they were floating on their back, cracking abalone shells on their bellies and/or holding their offspring. Incredibly charming animals.
Sheila



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Mary Chamberlin

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Apr 2, 2022, 4:40:28 PM4/2/22
to Suzetta, Whatcom Birds
You are correct about the range, but in Washington they are not in our protected waters, but in the open ocean side of the state. River otters are common here on Lummi Bay. They often cross my deck to get from the marina area to Lummi Bay. 

Mary Chamberlin
Ferndale, WA

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Suzetta

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Apr 2, 2022, 4:41:57 PM4/2/22
to Whatcom Birds
Thanks that clears it up for me.

EmojiSuzettaEmoji

Joe Meche

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Apr 2, 2022, 8:39:38 PM4/2/22
to Mary Chamberlin, Whatcom Birds
I have photographed River Otters for years all along the saltwater shoreline from Larrabee SP to the mouth of Whatcom Creek. I followed a family of six into Padden Lagoon and up Padden Creek; watched a family feeding inside the Post Point Lagoon; in Whatcom Creek all the way to Whatcom Falls Park.
They are River Otters, plain and simple, and highly entertaining.

Joe 

Laurie Bender

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Apr 4, 2022, 3:15:34 PM4/4/22
to Joe Meche, Mary Chamberlin, Whatcom Birds
Hello, we are new to the area and know where Lake Padden Park is located, is Padden Lagoon part of the park?  We would love to see some river otters!

Laurie Bender



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Laurie Bender

Annie Huang

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Apr 4, 2022, 3:41:01 PM4/4/22
to Laurie Bender, Joe Meche, Mary Chamberlin, Whatcom Birds
It's the lagoon next to Fairhaven Boat Lunch. I assume the name came from the Padden Creek estuary. 

Padden Lagoon.png

Mary Francell-Sharfstein

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Apr 4, 2022, 5:30:47 PM4/4/22
to Annie Huang, Joe Meche, Laurie Bender, Mary Chamberlin, Whatcom Birds
I walk by there often and haven never seen them there. Otter sightings are rare and random. I’ve seen them in the bay, at Larrabee State park and at Scutter’s Pond. 

Mary

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