Two otters have been captured on video playing on a slipway in Oban town centre.
Local fireman John MacDonald, 49, was driving along Corran Esplanade at 9.25pm on Thursday when he and daughters Zoe, 13, and Caitlin, 16, were treated to a rare sight.
The playful pair could be seen running on and off the slipway, eating fish and jumping in the sea.
Oban photographer Kevin McGlynn confirmed that neither of the two are the famous “Ollie of Dunollie“, an otter regularly spotted further along the coast at Dunollie Castle.
Ollie became so popular with photographers both professional and amateur that local mental health support charity Martyn’s Monday Club held a competition to name him.
This two – a mother and cub – have come right into the town centre to the slipway near the new North Pier pontoons.
It is situated roughly between two local bars, The Oban Inn and Coasters on Corran Esplanade.
Mr MacDonald said:Â “We have never seen them before. We were driving along the seafront, it was wee Zoe in the back who said ‘is that an otter Dad?’
“They were running up the slipway, eating fish, running into the water and then back up the slipway again.
“I went down onto the slipway, I didn’t get too close but they were coming right the way up. They were quite confident.
“It was strange seeing them there so close. I’ve never seen them there before. I will need to go back down tonight and see if they are there again.
“I wonder if they are going to start going to the slipway, the tourists will like it. You can hear all the cameras snapping away at Dunollie when people are watching the otter there.
“I enjoy taking pictures on my phone, it helps me relax and feeds my soul. I’ll need to get a decent camera now.”
Mr McGlynn said: “It is a mother and a cub. They have been in the bay for a few weeks. Ollie is on his own at Dunollie.
“John was lucky to get a spot like that because these two have been quite wary. Ollie is a poser.”
He gave advice for photographing otters: “You don’t make any sudden movements. Let it come to you on its terms. If you go to it you will scare it away.”