Most people recall the otter as a sleek brown fur coated animal beautifully gliding through the crystal clear waters of some northern stream. Well this is not always the case as shown in this recent photograph taken in the backwaters of the D'Arbonne National Wildlife Refuge. I was in a blind on the edge of the backwaters attempting to photograph mallards and wood ducks when all of sudden this "thing' came towards me subsurface. At first I was a little disconcerted because I had no idea what this "thing" was. He came up to within 10 yards of me and then surfaced. Seeing me he did a hasty retreat until approximately 20 yards from me and raised up to look at me. It was then I took his picture. I wondered why the ducks began to fly off from his area and later I learned ducks don't like otters. This "mud bug" foiled a photo shoot more than once. You just never know what will happen in the wild. It's a new day every day.
