Pine Marten taken with an Ltl Acorn 5210A using Infrared light

Pine Marten taken with an Ltl Acorn 5210A Trail Camera using Infrared light.

This image takes current pride of place in my close-up test results.

The Marten's nose is about 35cm from the lens and the original image has been 

cropped at the sides but not top and bottom.

The image is full size within the crop and has not had any noise filtering or sharpening.
You can download the image to enlarge to full size but please remember that the image is my copyright and can only be reused with my permission.

Forest Wildlife in June

No Red Squirrels and still no signs of Wildcat, which I don't expect in this area at this time of year. I've been monitoring trails for deer, which are infrequent because of culling to aid forest regeneration.

Images are all straight from the cameras (Ltl Acorn 5210A and 6210MC) and resized down.

Red deer hind with young calf (Cervus elaphus) still with its spotted coat

Raven and Pine Marten at bait site using Acorn 6210MC

This Raven (Corvus corax)  visited one of my bait sites last week and made off with all the meat within forty minutes, leaving nothing but the smell of what might have been for the Pine Marten (Martes martes), who arrived later the same day.

Both of these animals are feeding young nearby. I've heard the Raven calling on occasions and recently found the Pine Marten denned up with young in an old Beech tree.

Pine Marten raiding local bird feeder for meat balls

A neighbour asked me the other day, if I could set a camera to discover what was taking meat balls from their bird feeder. This was happening at night and my guess was it would be a Pine Marten (Martes martes)

Visitors at the Birch log

This Brown Hare (Lepus eropaeus) passes by every so often. It seems to be one of its regular trails

A Pine Marten (Martes martes) sitting on the log, scenting the air.

Still no feeding on the brackets apart from a couple of bites by the Roe Deer in the last post.

Buzzard captures pork steak

Last week I had a pork steak that I'd kept in the fridge a bit too long and decided to bait a trail camera with it to see if anything would take an interest.

Five hours after I'd set the camera up, a Pine Marten came by and gave it an inspection; but obviously decided it was too far gone. The next day, either the same Marten or another checked it out again without touching it. Then, on the third day, a Buzzard came just into camera, had a look and briefly left before returning to claim its meal.

It would seem Pine Martens are a lot more fussy about what they eat than Buzzards; and this Buzzard certainly maintained  its reputation for being a scavenger and ever ready for an easy meal.

This steak was smelly when I put it out and although the Pine Marten didn't think much of it, the Buzzard wasn't going to pass up an easy meal.

Juvenile Pine marten

I think this young Pine marten had lost its mother. I managed to eventually get it off the road and onto a forest track but not very hopeful for its survival.

Brief encounter

Tantalisingly brief, daylight view of Pine Marten.

18.49 hours last Thursday evening on a trail regularly used by badger, pine marten and deer.

My friend Badger

The last time I saw these two in close proximity to each other was a couple of weeks ago when the Pine Marten was chased away from near the sett entrance.

This location is further away from the sett and they seem more settled although the Pine Marten still keeps a wary eye on the Badger.

The good news from my point of view is that they both made a twilight appearance last night which means I'll soon be able to take some daylight shots with the long lens.