Is Spring in the Air?

I managed to visit Co Donegal for a few hours today to watch a family of otters I have been keeping an eye on (and trying to photograph) for quite a while. The sun came out as I arrived and the temperature rose to spring like conditions after another week of snow showers.

I was treated to what appeared to the two 'young' otters playing and fishing for more than hour. They are now nearly fully grown and given the absence of the mother otter it appears they are now independant of her. I just wonder how long the resident dog otter will put up with their presence.

Nearby at Inch Lake I also got reasonable views of two drake Smew, a species I still need to photograph in the wild.