Toad beside the same stream as above, just after a lot of heavy rain...

As mentioned above the evaporation of heavy rain in the evening heat of the sun usually gave opportunities to photograph the mist floating through the forest. It was on my 5th day in the cottage that I finally had some, albeit limited, success with photographing Pine Marten during the day. I had decided to photograph from one of the windows of the cottage. I had watched them many times from the window in daylight but as soon as I stepped outside they were gone. By placing 'midge-proof' (very important!) netting across the window to stop any bugs getting in and tearing a hole for the camera lens to go through, I had turned the cottage into a hide!

I had a little bit of success on that evening but not quite what I was after. However, a little success was better than a complete lack of it from previous attempts so I decided to stick with it for the rest of my time there.

During quiet periods in the cottage I spent my time reading. Naturally I was reading up about Pine Marten and I think it's worth mentioning a few things I had read from 'Tooth and Claw: Living Alongside Britain's Predators' by Peter Cairns and Mark Hamblin, both passionate about conservation in Scotland and equally amazing photographers in their own right;

Most associate Pine Marten with an arboreal nature, yet they seem just as happy on the ground and often perform a 'meerkat scout' impression by standing on their hind legs to get a better view.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Pine Marten were regarded as vermin. Despite the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it's efforts to fully protect them, it wasn't until 1988 when an Amendment came to cover a loophole allowing an 'authorised person to shoot a Pine Marten that was causing damage, but the same person could not trap it and take it away for safe release.' It was this Amendment that gave the Pine Marten full protection.

Some people still consider Pine Marten to be a pest. As the human population continues to expand and put strain on our natural environment Pine Marten are brought more and more into conflict with us. A recent BBC 2 documentary called 'Highlands: Scotland's Wild Heart' showed a Pine Marten family taking up residence in the roof of a carpenter's workshop. While the carpenter appeared to be comfortable with their presence, in other circumstances they have been known to raid chicken coops which make them unpopular with some people. It has led to some people calling for the 'management' of the species. However, they're not common. Current estimates suggest their population to be around 3,500. Considering they used to be Britain's second most common carnivore this figure fails dramatically in comparison. As with most conservation stories, it is human encroachment on their habitat that is causing the problem, not that their numbers are reaching such a level to consider them pests.