Four Seasons of Hares

One of the real pleasures of walking across the fields, at any time of year, is coming across a hare. If I'm really lucky, I'll see several at once running around or simply sitting in the sun together.

In March and April, I always hope to see them chasing around or rearing up to begin boxing each other. It used to be thought that two males boxed, but now it's said that the females box away the amorous males. Although I've often come across them at this time of year, I've never seen a full 'boxing match' between two hares. I have, though, seen a sort of half-box, when one hare backed down very quickly faced with the challenge of the other. So one of them, the male or the female, wasn't up for the fight!

Hares and Easter go together, because the original Easter Bunny was supposed to have been a hare. The idea of an Easter hare originated in Europe and then, when this custom moved to America, the hare became a cute-looking rabbit.

Hares have also been regarded as symbols of fertility. Bizarrely, the Easter hare was seen as laying eggs.

I've often wondered why hares have been thought of as sacred in some cultures. Perhaps it's because they come out to graze at night and so are seen as shadowy, otherworldly creatures in the moonlight.

When I'm out walking, I look out for leverets, but they must be well hidden. I seem to trip over just-born, baby rabbits here all the time, but never young hares. Of course the rabbits come into the garden, and sit around quite happily in full view - and the hares are shy and don't. I know that the leverets hide and wait for their mother to come out and feed them at dusk. This happens for a short while after they're born and then the mother will stop feeding them. They have to be independent very quickly in life.

The adults can lay very still in a small depression in the ground called a form. They do this as a means of defence and it isn't a good strategy in an agricultural field.

But how is the hare supposed to know that?

There are some terrible news stories of hares locally, and so when I see them,  I just enjoy the sight of them, safe - at that moment - and enjoying the sun.

In late winter/early spring I tend to see two or more gathered together. Last year I counted up to seven in one field, but I haven't see that number since.  The rest of year, I usually to see them on their own.

In summer, I spot them in the corn or they sit at the edge of fields or under the hedges...

In autumn, after the harvest, their cover in the fields has gone and so they find new protection where they can. This is the same in winter, although they sometimes venture out into the frosty fields...

They really are one of my favourite creatures.