Coming face to face with this otter startled me even though I had spotted it a few minutes earlier as it moved between two ponds near the north end of the Island Trail. Figuring where the otter might be, I had stealthily snuck nearly to the edge of the pond when the big otter popped up less than 10 yards away. I jumped back but regrouped in time to get off one quick shot before the equally startled otter dove back under water.