In the Company of Hares
Whether it’s their claim to being the fastest mammal in Britain, taking off at speeds of up to 40mph across English meadows, their distinctive ‘boxing’ during courtship, or their deep roots in mythology and folklore, the European Hare commands attention when spotted.
Fortunately for me, I often come across them when walking the dog. Sometimes they will sit motionless in the middle of an open field, cautiously watching you with a hard stare as you stroll by. Other times sprinting across farmlands after being disturbed from their ‘form’ (depression in the ground). Each time I think to myself “I should really dedicate more time to observing and photographing them”.
On one morning walk around the end of March last year where I spotted 5 hares chasing and leaping over each other. It’s easy to see how the idiom ‘mad as a March Hare’ came about.
Last week’s opportunity, while there wasn’t that same spectacular display of behaviour, this time at least, I had my camera with me after I heeded the wise advice of my wife who said to “Take it with you… just incase” as we headed out to take the dog to some nearby fields where she can run around, safe from disturbing any livestock. It was actually my wife who was the one to first spot a hare bouncing through the middle of a field as I parked up the car.
Grabbing the camera as we got out, my attention was now ashamedly more focused on the hare rather than the dogs unyielding desire to be set free across that same field. As I started to think that the fleeting glimpse was the only opportunity, I noticed the pair of oversized ears, sticking above the tufts of dry grass.
As my wife and the dog patiently waited at the edge of the field being cautious to not disturb the hare, I proceeded to crawl across the open field, using the dry grass as cover to close the distance a bit.
The photos I came away with won’t set the world on fire, but I was just happy to have finally got a few shots I was pleased with.
This is probably my favourite of the three from the morning. I particularly like how shooting through the grass gave a softer dreamlike feel to the image.
Over the past year I have unintentionally been focusing on what is local to me. Mainly due to time constraints and the ease of access. Focusing on moorland birds, white throated dippers, red squirrels, and after last weekend I am hoping to add hares to that regular rotation.
Have you had any memorable wildlife encounters that have left an impression on you? I would love to hear about them in the comments below.
If you would like to see more of my work, feel free to take a look over on instagram @ravenstagphotography