Breakfast at The Lake

Photograph of a River Otter with a starry flounder climbing out onto the ice on frozen Chignik Lake, Alaska.
Breakfast at The LakeOther photos show that this River Otter’s right canine is partially broken off, but overall this specimen is in prime condition and perhaps the best fisherman of his or her tribe. Lovely evening light coming in from the left really lit up the fins on this Starry Flounder. Chignik Lake, February 2, 2017

The Usual Suspects

The Usual SuspectsRiver Otters on Frozen Chignik Lake. Note the Starry Flounder in the mouth of the otter at the left. The lakes sculpin, stickleback, char, salmon, flounder and an invertebrate – the isopod, Saduria entomon – figure into the diets of Chignik Lake otters. There is a lot of upwelling on the lake – spring water filtered through surrounding hillsides which emerges from the lake bottom. The spring water’s relatively stable temperature makes it relatively warm in winter, thus causing openings in the ice which the otters use to dive for food. February 2, 2017