The brown hares in this strath have fascinated me, ever since a sighting some years ago. It was at this time of the year, when there was a covering of snow and a local crofter asked me to look at some tracks. He had a stone circle on his land and, as we approached, I could see numerous tracks of brown hares.
The stone circle was about 20 yards across, and within the circle there were tracks everywhere. Investigating some of them, I could see that they had come into the circle from all directions, and the return tracks followed roughly the same radiating routes.
It was obvious that a large number of hares, perhaps even tens of them, had gathered there while it was dark and had then dispersed. Such gatherings are rare and unexplained; only a few have been recorded, with up to 40 hares.
Hares frequently come into our garden, and the day before last was no exception. As usual the wild mallard had come at dusk for the oats I had put on the ground under the bird table. As the light faded, I glanced at them and then noticed two long ears. Binoculars revealed a hare feeding on the oats with the ducks. The hare stood up at one stage and, standing higher than the duck and drake mallard, it looked incongruous, to say the least.
I cannot recall this habit of eating oats before, although according to books they will eat the ears of cereals. For that matter, I have never seen a hare feeding with wild ducks before.
By coincidence, this morning I saw a hare at dawn as it walked in the paddock. It went on to the frozen pond and ran across. I thought it was worried about the ice but it stopped half way and looked around before continuing. As always, the hare filled me with respect and awe, and I wished it well.
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