Visits from peanut butter-loving pine marten are a real glass act

With no hint of recognition, the curious creature seemed oblivious to being in the company of a human being but Rab thinks that the animal is much smarter than he had initially given him credit for

You’ve heard of the glass ceiling but there’s a glass wall in the house here on Skye, where I’ve managed to wangle a few happy weeks. As with the glass ceiling, the glass wall is a barrier beyond which one might not go, at least in the sense of being able to walk straight through it.

I’ve tried. You get a sore nose. There is, however, a sliding door for the adventurous who want to step outside or, indeed, come inside.

When the door is left ajar, a pine marten has poked his nose in from time to time.

The glass “wall”, I should explain, is one of those floor-to-ceiling arrangements that are popular in modern houses.

It’s fantastic when you’ve a panoramic view beyond it, as I’m lucky enough to have here. The thing that has always intrigued me about glass relates to animals and their understanding of it.

At first, I thought the pine marten, who visits the house of an evening for peanut butter and chopped up energy bars, couldn’t see through the glass.

I’d put his bowl near the glass on one side and lie on the floor on the other, with my big, glaikit face inches from his.

He didn’t seem to notice. But now I know that he does.

Sometimes, he’d wait until I’d gone to bed before he came forth for his vittles, and I think this was because he didn’t want to eat them under such close scrutiny from the human daftie.

If it sounds daft to wonder if animals see through glass – obviously they do at zoos and so forth – you have to factor in that it’s usually dark when he saunters along, and there will be reflections, depending on the porch lighting being on or off, the presence of moonlight and so forth.

But I know now that he can definitely see through it as he pops his head up from below the decking and his eyes follow me about the room.

Indeed, twice, he has got up on his hind legs like a meerkat and put his face up against mine through the glass.

The point is, as I have noted before, they understand glass and know they are safe when the human is behind it.

Birds do, too. There’s a robin watching me as I type.

Of course, I feed the birds here, too. Every place I go, I arrive to deathly silence and leave with the place positively pullulating with birdsong and life.

Stop press: I’ve just seen a deer trotting along the shore in front of the house. I’m impressed at how sure-footed it was. The going is slippery underfoot on the pebbles and seaweed. With me, every step is a decision.

I feel sorry for roe deer. They always seem so terrified. I guess this beastie came out of the snow-covered woods looking for food.

Hope it finds something. I fear their diet is a bit more specialised than that of the pine marten.

Before ending this missive, I should record that a second pine marten has appeared recently. They both get along fine. “Pass the peanut butter, would you?” they say.

Glass walls may provide incredible views of the surrounding area but they can also help wildlife to feel a little bit safer.