We don't see pine martens as often as we used to in the days when we grew lots of soft fruit, but they are still fairly abundant here. It is more common to see their droppings as, like otters, they use them to let others know they are about, and, like otters, they deposit on top of rocks where they can easily be seen. The trouble with pine martens is they can't distinguish between rocks and doorsteps.
Pine martens have a very varied diet which includes eggs, birds, animals, fruit, fish and, being opportunists, bread (especially if it has jam on it), peanuts and other goodies left lying around by humans. Small mounds of partially-digested rowan berries are frequently seen in autumn and, in the garden here, the colour of their droppings reflects what fruit is ripe at that time. Like other members of the weasel family, they will kill more than they can eat if the opportunity arises. Here, people have lost 20 hens in a night to them, others lost ducks, doves and ornamental pheasants and one of their usual prey the red squirrel no longer occurs here as far as I know, though that may not be due to the marten.
Pine martens are quite large, about the length of a good sized domestic cat but much leaner. They are exceptionally agile which is how they can chase and capture squirrels. They are often seen in car headlights at night which is when they do much of their feeding. The best time to see them during the day is in summer when they are feeding their young and thus spending more time hunting.
This pine marten turned up one sunny summer evening after I had put out some bread for the birds. It's ears are more cream-tipped than usual. From left to right, top to bottom:-
See also
Photos and text by Ian Lamb.