The action has kept going at Speyside Wildlife’s Evening Mammal Hide and as the year winds down, several things become apparent. The Badgers have moulted into their winter coats, the Pine Martens have done the same and with less food elsewhere in their vast territories the Pine Martens feel a greater need to come to the hide within view of our guests.
The females have the smallest territories at about 2.5 square kilometres and the males have approx. 5 square kilometre territories. These territories have to give them the sustenance they need, usually in the form of mice, voles, fruit and berries - these get scarcer as the year progresses, though Wood Mice and Bank Voles have still been seen from the hide.
The Badgers have been coming every night and they still find plenty of joy devouring the bait laid out for them. The cubs have moulted into their winter coats and aside from a few squabbles with the adults, they are now so much better behaved than they were before. The most conflict tends to occur over a particular log with a hole in it where some peanuts are placed - though most of the time they feed together without problems. Tawny Owls and Barn Owls have also been heard during our evenings.
If you would like your chance to see our nocturnal visitors head to our website and book your place today.