So I am almost at the end of my 12 days of Christmas wild things, and I am cheating slightly as I am going to show some images from a wildlife camera that is set up in the wood just below the house. It’s taken me a bit of time to get a good location, as I had a lot of half animal and blurry images where the animals have come too close. But here are a couple of the better ones.
Firstly a pine marten. We have seen them in the past and know that they are around, though more by the signs they leave behind (mainly scats, i.e. their faeces). It is great to get an image to be sure.
And a much less illusive mammal, the fox, which we see a lot more regularly.
And finally for those of you with good eyesight – a little mouse, probably a wood mouse going by it’s shape.
Murtagh's Meadow 
What a great idea to discover what you don’t usually see. I must get my wildlife camera gong again. I was the mouse by the eyes straight away. Pine Martins, what do the eat and are they a “problem” around your place?
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Pine martens will take anything they find – everything from small mammals, birds, bird eggs, carrion. etc. They will eat quite a bit of wild fruit too. They can take poultry and can get into peoples attics (usually looking for safe place to raise young) but other than that they don’t cause a problem. They were trapped and poisoned for years but are protected now and there are good numbers again. They are thought to be a reason red squirrels numbers are increasing here in Ireland as they prey on the grey squirrels (an invasive here) who feed more on the ground. Saying that they have no problem climbing trees!
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Thanks for the wonderful information. I am glad they are protected as they do such a great job except for the easy prey of farm birds.
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I like that pine martins are increasing. Predators are so essential to a healthy ecosystem, and most see them as a problem instead of the larger benefit there is to having them balance rodent populations. Our deer numbers are increasing at a dangerous rate, both for deer health and road collisions. Yet still, predators are killed in great numbers, despite the need for them to do their work.
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So right Eliza, all ecosystem need these top predators.
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What a brilliant idea. Hope to see more of your night captures.
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Fingers crossed.
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How exciting. And pine martens too. Have they ever tried to eat your chickens?
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No thankfully, though the fox has succeeded a couple of times
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Happy New Year
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Thank you, same to you
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😊💐🎉
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Lovely to see what is happening nearby in the night time.
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Yes it is a lovely surprise
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Super pictures. The camera shows the eyes which is what might be how an owl sees mice. It is exciting to see all the visitors.
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It is certainly
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