Pine Martens

Stigura

So, couple of weeks or so back now ~ having long since stared up at the bitch Pine Marten, peering back down at the Dogs and I, from my store rooms chimney pot ~ The inevitable happened.

I unscrewed the boards I have over the disused, little fire place. And found this:

Only two, this year. And my working hadn't even woken them.

She nests in the roof space, see? The kits get big enough to mooch about. They fall down the chimney and can't get back up.

Lucky for them, I'm still alive and alert. Nothing deserves to do a Poe slow shrivel in a dark tomb.

First things first then; I gave them a bowl of water. And my Pad dinner! They Really enjoyed those pork and apple sausages! Pad's!

Had to do the 'Broadmoor' routine, for a couple of days, of course. Locking doors behind myself, religiously. Dogs ever managed to get in there? There'd be a Lot of 'crime scene' type cleaning to do!

Funny little Pad's. They show no fear what so ever. Don't even try to bite, if ye touch them. (And, I had to physically pick a load of them up, last year)

As it is; This time, in agreement with the the appropriate authorities ~ Active member of the NPWS ~ I built these little Pads a ladder to Leitrim.

The bitch was coming down, out of the lintel above the rooms window. I was standing there, in the compound, gazing, nose to nose, through the window at her!

Next day, they were gone. I was surprised, as their coats were still quite fuzzy. Maybe she'd decided to shift them away to somewhere she felt they'd be safer?

If I'm completely honest? I was a bit disappointed, to find them gone, so soon.

But, a couple of items, on the back window sill were displaced. They'd clearly followed the bitch out that way. Now, they're in Leitrim.

Next year? Things will be different.

Eddie B

Very few people get to see something like that. Many people even on this forum, have never even seen a Pine Marten. It's a real privilege to witness such an elusive creature in your own place

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Well done. Lovely creatures and a really important mammal for Ireland.

It's a toss up between Bats and Pine Marten as to which animal needs rescuing from homes most each year.

fryup

Eddie B wrote: »

Very few people get to see something like that. Many people even on this forum, have never even seen a Pine Marten. It's a real privilege to witness such an elusive creature in your own place

yes they are an enchanting creature very agile, i was lucky enough to have one visit my back garden at night a few years back

he even had a nibble at my birdfeeder

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

yes they are an enchanting creature very agile, i was lucky enough to have one visit my back garden at night a few years back

he even had a nibble at my birdfeeder

I've had a couple nibble at my fingers over the years.

But, they are enchanting and, relatively, harmless creatures.




Waits for "pine martins killed my cat" stories.

Graces7

My first year in Ireland I cohabited with a pine marten and then her young.

The cottage had been empty years and there was even a critter sized hole in the door..

One night I and my cats heard "something" in the sitting room and when I crept in and snapped the light on there was a large critter on the table eating a pear.. It shot up the chimney and I spent a while working out what it was as I had no idea.

utterly magical times. She got used to eating at the door and I knew where she was nesting. Never any aggression to or from the cats; they co existed respectfully.. One especially wanted to play with her and she allowed it.

She would come to my bedroom window to ask for food.

Later, her babies would run in and out of the cottage. Sheer magic.