I've just opened the back door and guess what stood there looking at me? Proper, proper chuffed

Jealous as f....

Only ever seen one, it ran across the road in front of me at Kinlochewe.

Apart from the polecat I think I've got the full set of UK mustelids.

Oh my god!! Me and the Mrs went on the hunt for these in Loch Carron... Never ever seen one!!

That's excellent Stu. Only one I've ever seen was a dead one on the BB530

And you must have ha d quick reactions to get a photo of that quality

Brilliant

Stu, worth logging on the British Mammal Society website - https://www.brc.ac.uk/mammals/recording.php they appreciate sightings of all our mammals especially the rarer ones.

I 'think' I saw one in the forest here about 12 years ago but couldn't be sure. Shortly after I met some folk conducting a study in the forest but they said what they'd seen was inconclusive ... I never saw any sign after that.

I did hear tell that some were being released into Hafren last year so perhaps tonights visitor has come over the hill from there.

Lightening reactions Steve

Will do Bob.

That's great. I love seeing animals like that. :)

What is it please Stu?? Tis gorgeous indeed...

In other news, the Kashmiri/Welsh goats also seem to not be taking this lockdown rule seriously in your part of the world... sigh https://youtu.be/bMUlppJbbI8

Nice. We occasionally see them in the forest round here. Not that I'm ever quick enough to get a photo.

We stayed in Glen Nevis chalets a few years back and they were regular visitors.


Evening visitor by Colin Cadden - Flickr2BBcode

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:16 pm What is it please Stu?? Tis gorgeous indeed...

Pine Marten. Very rare.

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:16 pm What is it please Stu?? Tis gorgeous indeed...

As Richard says it's a Pine Marten. One of the mustelids - the other British ones are otters, badgers, polecats, stoats, weasels, ferrets and mink (technically that last one's an invasive species).

The Pine Marten is the natural predator of the red squirrel. Where they've reintroduced the Pine Marten, typically pine forest as per their name, then red squirrel numbers have risen and the numbers of grey squirrels has fallen. It's thought that because reds are smaller and lighter than the greys they can out manoeuvre the martens. It's likely that the pine marten and red squirrel have evolved together as predator and prey so are evenly matched but the greys don't know what the hell's hit them!

Only ever seen one and that was in one of my local woods (Blair Adam forest which is mainly sitka rather than pine but the FC ranger I spoke to after said there are a couple here)

whitestone wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:31 pm

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:16 pm What is it please Stu?? Tis gorgeous indeed...

As Richard says it's a Pine Marten. One of the mustelids - the other British ones are otters, badgers, polecats, stoats, weasels and mink (technically that last one's an invasive species).

The Pine Marten is the natural predator of the red squirrel. Where they've reintroduced the Pine Marten, typically pine forest as per their name, then red squirrel numbers have risen and the numbers of grey squirrels has fallen. It's thought that because reds are smaller and lighter than the greys they can out manoeuvre the martens. It's likely that the pine marten and red squirrel have evolved together as predator and prey so are evenly matched but the greys don't know what the hell's hit them!

I didn't know that. Happy that i do now. Ta

Nice... thanks all

Wonderful.

You are very lucky.

That must be a vicious fecker to kill a grey squirrel!

Good spot.

boxelder wrote: ↑Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:54 pm That must be a vicious fecker to kill a grey squirrel!

Good spot.

It's a family trait. Look up honey badger, they're in the "I'm not messing with that!" group, they'll take on a pride of lions for food

Did anyone see that documentary years ago of the guy trying to film them, possibly around Loch Marie?
Each day he was out trying to film them, getting eaten alive by midges and ticks but. never spotted one., Then he started to notice some food going missing in his cabin so setup a couple of cameras to catch the culprit, turns out the Polecats were waiting for him to leave each day before invading.

It was a lovely film, I’ll see if I can find it again

Shewie wrote: ↑Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:21 am Did anyone see that documentary years ago of the guy trying to film them, possibly around Loch Marie?
Each day he was out trying to film them, getting eaten alive by midges and ticks but. never spotted one., Then he started to notice some food going missing in his cabin so setup a couple of cameras to catch the culprit, turns out the Polecats were waiting for him to leave each day before invading.

It was a lovely film, I’ll see if I can find it again

Might’ve been pine martens lol

Brilliant! Lucky man

I think that really is worthy of some Awe

I've been in touch with the Vincent Trust who are the people responsible for releasing them locally. Hopefully a spotting outside of the release area will make them happy and prove things are going well.

This makes me as happy as a Panda on a rocking horse.

How happy is that you ask?

Well just take a look and see