Faye Wagers and I birded South Holston Dam area this morning. Highlights are a pair of worm eating warblers and their nest, red eyed vireo on nest, wood thrush on nest, hooded warbler, pileated woodpecker, blue birds, brown thrashers. We also saw what certainly appeared to be a young river otter. It was squalling and crying out as it tried to climb a bank . As I stepped near to get a closer look of what was making the noise, it came up the slope, then fell back into the water. Was my first river otter other than in a recovery park or zoo. I am very familiar with the look of a muskrat and it was not that. Had the button nose and cute face of an otter. Great morning! Gail Williams