What’s happening under your nose?

Our ranger Jackie tells some interesting facts on her guided wildlife tours running in the Cairngorms National Park. Here are her thoughts on what can be seen in the great out doors around Scotland.

It’s spring meandering into summer, the uplands are rich in wildlife and vibrant colours, the nights are short, the days are long and the natural world is alive and screaming (Swifts spring straight to mind).  Now coming into nesting and fledging time, the birds are feeding up and finding food for their young.

A glimpse out of the window and suddenly an aerial glider comes into view and spiralling in the wind, the sight of an Osprey is enough to get a whole office excited, communal awe of the wonders of nature.

Sometimes going on a recce reaps the rewards.  Whilst trying to find a good spot to cross a burn, I witnessed something that lifted a somewhat dreich day in the field.  I saw red, no I’m not talking about an angry farmer chasing me off his land.  In fact something far more adrenaline pulsating, a sight I’d never seen before, a PINE MARTEN, an unmistakable big bushy red-brown tail scuttled out from the riverbank and into the undergrowth.  As quick as I’d locked eyes on the Marten it had gone.  Still that special moment lead me to feel a sense of elation, a feeling only endured during times of success!

Several weeks later Oliver came running into the kitchen with excitement exclaiming the words PINE MARTEN on the front wall, I ran outside but once again this elusive mammal had gone.  Still that same sense of emotion raced through me, rare or common, the natural world is all around.  Get out there, live it and enjoy it…