Cheeky pine martens sneak through window to steal snacks

Footage shows a cheeky family of pine martens sneaking in through a window to feast on snacks in the Highlands.

Neil Bletcher the captured footage of the three weasels coming through his window on July 23, up at his holiday home in Ardnamurchan, Kilchoan.

Neil, who is an ex-park ranger, originally fed the mum two years ago – and she now brings round her children to get the treats, which are bowls of nuts with honey on them.

Neil has gotten that used to the animals at his getaway lodge that he has even named them after their distinctive looks, with some of the names including ‘Spotty Cheek’ and ‘Bog Brush’.

The pine marten population in Scotland is estimated at 3700 adult pine martens and are mostly found in parts of the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway.

Neil, who is from the Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, said: “It’s a family of pine martens that have been coming to my holiday cottage for a couple of years now.

“Normally I would lay something outside for them and they’ll feed outside on the grass.

“This was a wee treat for them so I put a couple of bowls of nuts with honey on them and left them just inside my window.

“Then I saw three of them coming in and feeding away.

“They’ve been coming for years, it’s a mother and her two kittens.

“The first kit was born in 2019 and was coming in when she was first born.

“She still comes in today.

“I call her ‘Spotty Cheek’ due to a black spot she has on the side of her cheek.

“I call the other kitten ‘Bog Brush’, due to its tail looking like a toilet brush.

“I think the mother has seven kids in total, but I haven’t named the rest of them.

“It’s lovely to have them visit.

“You’re always gonna get skeptics who say you shouldn’t have them in, but I’m miles
away from anybody up here.

“Don’t get me wrong I don’t want them coming in and curling up on my favourite cushion and sitting at my fire.