An Cat Crainn - the tree cat

Imagine my surprise the other morning when I opened my blinds and saw the little face pictured below staring at me from the due to be cut grass! ‘What the?’ were my first words then I thought it must be a pine marten. It had a cute little face and then caught sight of me and bopped away through the grass, bigger than a cat and longer in body what a treat to see it! I had never seen one before in all me 50 years!

Goulwen had seen possibly the same one last year (they are solitary creatures) in the garden and neighbours tell of the woods close to us having a few too.

A study done in 2013 discovered that the population of pine martens in the midlands is higher than in other parts of Europe. It was originally thought to be more common in the west of Ireland

In addition, researchers from Waterford Institute of Technology and NUI Galway (NUIG) discovered the first evidence of pine martens feeding on the invasive North American grey squirrel. Unlucky for the grey squirrel but it might mean the native red one might now get a chance to come back.

Of course I went down the rabbit hole - or the pine marten one (they like holes in trees!).

And just in time for bio diversity in nature week. https://biodiversityweek.ie

So if like me you would like to learn a bit more about this little creature I am attaching links and a page from Niall McCoitirs great book Animals of Ireland.

Niall McCoitirs great book Animals of Ireland

Pine Marten info links:

Great info on the species and how to look out for them. Also, if you think you might having one living in your house (whaaatttt!)  https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/pine-marten-in-houses.pdf

Someone who loves pine martens -  https://pinemarten.ie/the-pine-marten/pine-martens-in-irish-myth-and-folklore/

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may all be well, Brenda