Raining sun and hare

I thought the Norfolk Brown Hares deserved a post to themselves. I have been delighted by these animals ever since my first job as a tractor driver on a small dairy farm where the manager allowed no shooting, except for one man with a rifle who used to cull the mixy rabbits once a fortnight.
Presumably as a result, we had a huge Hare population which were just great to watch sorting out partnerships in the early in the spring. I found late February the best time to see them chasing, gamboling and boxing rather than the more traditional mad March, with sometimes up to 10 in a field at the same time.
I guess the weather hasn't been condusive to this sort of behaviour yet this year, and the Norfolk Hares contented themselves with lying down or running away.
Back on the farm all those years ago, early cuts of grass for silage called for total concentration when mowing to look for bolting Hares in front of the mower and instantly stop because this was usually a Female with leverets which she would leave in the "form". On with gloves, and all the leverets would get moved behind the mower, I don't know how many I moved in the two springs there, but it must have approached 100.

 

Anyone got a Hare dryer?

 I learnt during my time with Hares that if you go very slowly, you can crawl up on Hares and get quite close, as long as you approach them side on. They have 360 degree vision with their eyes positioned on the side of their head as they are, but just a very narrow field of binocular vision in front and behind to judge distance. This one judged my distance as a bit too close!

 

Hare today gone ....today

Hare spray

 

Hare lyin'

  

Hare breaks

 

 Hare in the air

Sun and Hare