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  • Writer's pictureHarris Brooker

October is at an End

The action has kept going at Speyside Wildlife’s Evening Wildlife Watching Hide. The Pine Martens have been coming in regularly, at this time of year there is less food in their territories, and they regularly visit, sitting on the platform feeding on the bait laid out for them. They've amazed the guests at every turn with their agility and sleekness.

There is a female Pine Marten in this image looking to its right with its head cocked as though listening for any sound of danger. It is on a small platform raised off the ground and there is a tree stump in the background on the left hand side of the Pine Marten. The Pine Marten itself sits on a bed of spruce needles and leaves which the platform has filled into it.
Female Pine Marten (Photo Credit: Harris Brooker)

The male and female have come, though they've not come together for the last week or two. One night the female was frightened into the canopy by something and guests reported a second pair of eyes shine in the canopy which may well belong to the male. Whatever interaction they had up there, looked ambiguous from the bottom.

There is a female Pine Marten in this image on a platform. The image is zoomed out. The platform has spruce needles and peanuts on it. There are tree branches in the background.
Female Pine Marten (Photo Credit: Harris Brooker)

The Badgers have been coming in every night as well. All eleven of them at times and they feed together quite happily, though there is conflict from time to time. When they have a minor argument it's usually restricted to soft snarls and biting each other. However, when they really mean business that changes to a loud chattering, like a pair of squirrels arguing and then they start wrestling one another. The most severe fight I've witnessed recently is when one Badger pushed another off the feeding area and chased it along the path at the bottom of the hill.

There are five Badgers in this image. Four of them are facing the front and one in the top middle of the image has its head completely hidden by a log. They are feeding on a large platform with logs, a log bridge for the Pine Martens crosses over their heads and there is a rock at the back end of the platform. There is also the branches of a cypress tree behind the platform.
Badgers Feeding (Photo Credit: Harris Brooker)
There are five Badgers in this group feeding together on a large platform surrounded by logs and leaves. Four of the Badgers are facing toward the camera. Four of them are licking peanut butter off of some logs.
Badgers Feeding (Photo Credit: Harris Brooker)

There have been Wood Mouse sightings too and after the evening has finished, I've shown people Jupiter and its moons through the scope. Mars has also been visible as well as constellations like Auriga (the Charioteer), Perseus, Lyra (depicting the stringed instrument) with its alpha star Vega, Cynus the Swan which is famous for its black hole Cygnus X1 and my favourite constellation Delphinus, depicting a Dolphin.


If you would like your chance at seeing our nocturnal visitors head to our website and book your place today.


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