May 2025 Evening Wildlife Watching Hide Update
- Harris Brooker
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Badgers
The Badgers are coming to the hide much later, with the daylight hours extending until after 10 pm, we have adjusted our start time and this can mean some very late nights. One night after 11 pm, a female Badger walked in and was transitioning into her summer coat. Her fur was mostly blonde, but with a grey patch spreading down the neck. I explained to the guests that the grey patch was the summer coat coming through and it looks a deeper silvery grey than its winter coat. She fed for a while until eventually moving off and a few more individuals came singly to feed. Then they left and the guests were very happy.
Pine Martens
The Pine Martens have been visiting, but as the month has gone on, the female has largely been absent presumably to look after the kits she must have had and we have mainly seen the male. One night, very late on in the evening, later than we would normally stay, one of the Pine Martens was spotted coming in from the left on the ground. This is the more unusual way of them appearing. It fed on the ground, usually with its back to the guests or if you could see its face, its bib was hidden. Thus, without having been able to see the spot pattern I was not able to identify which individual it was. What was more, was that it had its chocolate brown summer coat, which made it look very lean. When this happens the size difference between the male and female is no longer apparent - if anything, they look the same size. Then the Pine Marten ran away to the left and left the food on the platform completely untouched - something I don’t see very often.
Scottish Wildcat
The Scottish Wildcat has been visiting a few times this month and we’ve had some truly spectacular sightings. One night it came towards the start of the evening when it was light and walked into the platform, climbed onto the wooden slats of the two Lawson’s Cypresses and stretched itself. Then it climbed down and went to the right of the hide and disappeared. On another night, it got even better - I hadn’t seen the Wildcat that day at all and when the session was happening I went towards the back to see if it was about, not seriously expecting him to be there - but he was. He was sat down some steps, with its back to us concealed by a bush. Then he went up the steps and came round the right-hand corner of the hide and displayed incredibly well. I don’t think I’ve ever had an evening where the Wildcat has given such successive looks at two points in the evening!
Other Wildlife
We are still seeing Wood Mice and Bank Voles at the hide. There was a week in which they weren’t seen for some reason, but by and large they are a feature of the hide at this time of year. Woodcocks have been heard roding overhead and on two evenings we managed to see it, which most of the time we don’t. Tawny Owls are frequently heard, even before it’s properly dark and so are Barn Owls. One night I managed to see for the first time a Barn Owl from the hide. It sat on a branch briefly and flew off into the field.
On the walks back, usually when it’s raining, we’ve been seeing Palmate Newts, Common Frogs, Common Toads and Leopard Slugs. One night a Common Frog got into the hide because I’d left the door open and I was able to get it outside!
If you would like a chance to see our nocturnal visitors go to: http://bit.ly/sw_EWW to book your place.
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