The otters were not alone however, in their search for food on the oyster bars. Raccoons, with their masked faces, pointed noses and bushy, striped tails also wade out from the marsh to enjoy a tasty meal. It wasn't very common to actually see the raccoons because they are more active at night and hide in the hammocks during the day. It was always obvious that they had been around however, because they leave behind their tell-tale footprints in the wet mud of the marsh . Raccoon footprints are easy to identify because they look like little hand prints with five fingers.
Pelicans glide over the water looking for schools of small fish using their keen eyesight.
When a school of fish is spotted they dive straight down into the water and scoop up water, fish and all into their big pouch which hangs below their long beak. Then at their leisure they sit in the water or on a nearby perch and swallow their meal. The two otters never stayed in the same place for very long and they could travel many miles in a single day. They wandered throughout the low marshes to other parts of the estuary investigating new territories. The tall, pointed Needle Rush growing in the marsh provides cover and shelter for otters, raccoons and wading birds such as the little dark colored Gallinule with the bright red bill.