It has been unseasonably cold lately ,wet blowy and even some sleet .I think we had more sunny days in February than March. I went for a hike along the beach and found a secluded swamp at the bottom of a steep bluff .there sure was allot of wildlife in the little patch . I jumped several deer ,and saw a otter run into a drainage culvert. It was startled and made a sound like a baby giggling to alert its companion to my presence . They took off like greased lightening I found remnants of flounders they had caught in the surf .Even though we don't have rivers on the island these are river otters,and make use of the salt water to travel from pond to pond .They are a pest and can clean out a pond of fish in a short time. I have seen where they seemingly hunt for fun and just leave the fish in piles on the banks of the pond. I had a friend who was the last licenced trapper on Whidbey Island ,but since his death the population of otter and beaver has exploded. The beaver cause allot of flooding in lowland areas. Some friends came back to they're property ,from a long vacation,and found a family of otter had been living under the house.They thought it smelled musty in the house but said they nearly vomited when they turned on they're furnace. They said the otter waste was six inches deep and with a diet of fish and shellfish I guess its unbelievable bad. They are trying to find someone to clean it up ,but have had no takers. All the insulation and heating ducts have to be replaced,and maybe some flooring. Yuk! A job for Dirty Jobs. I found a dry patch in the swamp where you could still see the cracks from where it dried up last summer, with little sprigs of spring swamp grass coming up . I for one am going to do my part and eat as many beavers as I can more than I probably otter . sorry thats really bad.