The noise - a photo on Flickriver

The noise

            This past Wednesday I did something that I have not done in several months. I dragged my carcass out of bed and drove to be in “my spot” at Muscatatuck NWR for daybreak. So much has changed there over the years. The roads are much better but several fields that once provided the best hunting area for its raptors are now covered with thousands of saplings. If this growth continues, I will have little to no reason to make the drive…a sad reality.

One thing that hasn’t changed is my ability to make noise. I have a favorite, time tested and proven noise that I make when no one else is around. It has made coyotes, deer, eagles, elk, seals, bear, mink and otters stop in their track and look at me. Direct eye contact provides the best of photo ops! I hope to someday cross paths with a Honey Badger to see if it works…we all know they don’t care!

Early Wednesday I spotted bevy of 5 otters hunting one of the creaks on Muscatatuck. They were heading away from the bridge I was on, but knowing the refuge, I knew they would pass under another one further south if they maintained their course. I also knew that they would take several play, rest and eating breaks along the way. There was no way to estimate their arrival at the next bridge.

I made a few laps around the refuge, checking to see if they had made it yet, nothing. The entire time I was questioning myself with if I even wanted to photograph the otters. When you do the math, statistically I have photographed any single otter at Muscatatuck several times over the years, maybe even as a pup. I reminded myself what a blessing it is just to see them.

On my third and final lap, I could see the ripples in the water and bubble paths…a sure sign that otters were hunting below. I extended my monopod, steadied my stance and waited. Within seconds three otters surfaced as if they were synchronized swimming. I swung my lens in the area of the closest one and took a few shots. It noticed me right away and was in the process of staring me down to determine my threat level when I decided to make my noise. Instantly it opened its mouth as if to smile…I know…anthropomorphism at its best!

No matter how much things that we cannot control change, we can all still make our noise!

Adventure before dementia!

Taken on: November 24, 2021

Tags:

River

Otter

Wild

Wildlife

WOW

Nature

Mammals

Muscatatuck

NWR

National

Refuge

Indiana

Posing

Smiling

Outside

Outdoors

Dattilo

Canon

MarkIV

EF600mmf4

+1.4x

Explore

November

2021 « less

Sets appears in: • Chosen by Explore

Groups appears in: • The Photographer's Club • Wildlife Photography more » • Your Postcard Shot • I Love My Canon • ~Nature~ • ~Nature Beauty~ • W I D E S C R E E N • Your Favorite Photos - Unlimited! • Wild Animals • Anything fantastic - 1 pic / day • Animal Pictures • Just Photos. [No AI or SL] • GREATPIX • NATUREPIX • Photography Corner • Nature Art Gallery • Total Photography (No AI or SL) • you can Canon • wildlife photographers • Animal Closeups • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • Beauty of Nature • The Magic of Nature • CLICK the CAMERA • *amazing nature* • Amateur Photographers United • My Favourite • Outdoor Photography • The Flikr Group • ***The Wildlife Photography • ANYTHING & EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC / NO SL/AI • **A Big Fave (INVITE ONLY PLEASE) • we love wildlife • Welcome To My World (WTMW) • The Magic of Colour • The Beauty of Nature • Animal Photos! • Countryside & Nature • SJohnson's Fauna PLEASE READ: surgery complete doing well • So simple, so beautiful! • Born Free, Living Free • PHOTO NOW • NaturePhotographs • Nature...Anything Goes • " EARTH NATURE (no humans, nothing manmade) • " Damn Cool Photographers in the WORLD " .♥.♥.♥ • Better Than Good • Art of Nature • ♥ANIMALS ♥ • " MASTER CLASS PHOTOGRAPHY " • Dragon Gold Award " The Best Of Flickr " • ALL Welcome - I am sick of 'rules and regulations - New Contest • ~*Nature Pics That *WoW* Us*~ • Nature's Call. • Golden Globe 1 Awards • ◄♣♦♠♥ Together ♥♠♦♣► • ~Beauty of Nature~ • **ALL KINDS OF BEAUTY** (Moderated! NO MODELS!) • **Simply Superb (P 1- A 2)** • *Nature Pics* • ONLY ANIMALS (POST1,COMMENT1) • Flickr Number One !! • Nature's Pot-of-Gold • Natur ~* pur *~ • !WORLD OF ANIMALS! (Post 1 and Comment 1 or more) • The world through photography • PLANET EARTH OUR HOME • NatureLovers • Days out and about • " Your BEST of Today " - Through MY Eyes • Wonderful World! • Dragonfly Awards * Post1 - Award 3 * *Sweeper Active* • National Geographic Wild Life • MY CAMERA NEVER LIES (P1+A3)Sweeper Active • National Wildlife Magazine Photo Group • The world of photography • as beautiful as you want • The Hundred Club of Flickr • *Nature's Beautiful Photography- (P1~A1)NO PEOPLE/NO BUILDINGS • Nature's Garden (P1 / A3) • Your pics and shots [No AI or SL] • Nature of the World Unlimited (9000+ Invite your friends!) • *That's MY Photo ! * • NATURE'S PRIME (P1/A4) • NATURE RULES!!! • !Your Best Animal Photo ~~Award 2 • RSPB Love Nature • Image Gallery... B&W and Colour !!! [No AI or SL] • FLICKERIANS • outstanding! • ! * The Beauty of Nature/ NO people! NO single buildings! P1/C2 • Fstoppers • ! * Dagmar's Fauna Farm ϡ NO insects please! • International Amateurs Photos (Invite Only) • [][][]Not only Facebook[][][] • NATURE by Flickr - Invitation Only • NATURE (Post 1 / Award 4) • my life is a picture... • ►the best photos◄ • Fine Gold • Animals looking at You • *Animal Photography Group* (NO CAGES/ENCLOSURES) • Flickr OBSESSION' • the world i see • Wildlife (Animals) Unlimited • Animal Sanctuary • Any kind of wildlife/nature • ` FLICKR ´ • Flickr Photographer • !* FOREST WILDLIFE*NO birds*NO landscapes*ONLY wild animals! • Wildlife Photographs • Your Best Shot For Today • Flickr Hall of Fame • EOS Experience • Lucie's Top Gallery - P1/C2 SWEEPER 100+F / • Tall Tails of Animals • "Les gentils coincés" (PdF) • brilliant flickr • World Photographers' Photos WPP • Digital Photo Mag • * Wonderful World of Wildlife * • in explore • illumination focus • Images About Almost Anything • Flickr No1 Pics • Your best of the best • Photo's passion of the world • We love cameras • Nature and all that is beautiful • Worldwide Fauna • This is Why I Bought A Camera • Today's Flickr • !*Flickr All Stars*! • Nature and Animals (Wild Only) • [][][] The best pictures [][][] • My Favourite photo - la mia foto preferita • Explore Flickr (unofficial) • flickr world wide • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • iClick! • WORLD AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS • The best picture of the world • Porfolio Nature • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • Interesting Nature • Canon EOS 5D MKIV Wildlife Photography. • Nature photographers. • THERE IS NO LIMIT FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CREATION • Nature and Wonder « less

Stats: 12,476 views / 109 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: