Friday, May 17, 2013

Hare care

To our enormous delight, our young hare seems to have taken up almost permanent residence in the former farmyard below the house. Except in the very wettest weather he has been back regularly for the past couple of weeks at least, usually for hours at a time. DH and I are amused to find ourselves automatically glancing out of the relevant windows to check on his presence or absence. This morning he was particularly active, grooming himself thoroughly before settling down for a nice long nap in the intermittent sunshine.





Seizing his opportunity, DH eavesdropped on his morning toilette and in my first attempt at utilising all the facilities of YouTube, I've uploaded the result for the world to see. It’s short and silent and, we think, rather sweet.



56 comments:

  1. Hari OM
    Oh that is just tooooo beautiful!! I am in awe of your technowizardry Perpetua. I have clips I want to share, but just can't really afford too many spare minutes to self-educate just now. Will get there eventually! Meanwhile, I'll enjoy yours and others who share such wonderful moments.

    That was a hint for 'more please' &*> Have a super weekend, Hugs, YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it but there was no technowizardry on my part, Yam. DH took the video and YouTube makes it absolute child's play to upload. The main problem is that of course a newly-uploaded video doesn't appear in any searches, so I had to embed it in my post instead of just linking to it in the normal way. When you have more time, email me and I'll be happy to 'talk' you through the process.

      In the meantime I'll tell DH to bear your request for "more, please" in mind. :-)

      Delete
    2. Hari OM
      ...a kind and generous offer, ma'am, which I will remember whenever I get round to such. Hope the weekend is bringing better weather. Enjoy it regardless! YAM x

      Delete
    3. make sure you do. I have a feeling any vieo from you will be worth watching. :-) The forecast for the weekend is NOT for rain, which is good enough for me.

      Delete
  2. Your little *Hare* seems very content...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, he is, and not so little now either. He (or she) seems to be growing before our eyes.....

      Delete
  3. Dear Perpetua, congratulations on posting a video on YouTube. The hare, grooming itself, reminded me so the cats when they groom. They repeat and repeat the grooming of a spot and then move on. So fastidious. Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Dee. I was pleasantly surprised buy how very easy it was to do. Until we saw our new neighbour grooming himself on his very first visit, I had no idea that hares are so meticulous at keeping themselves clean. He spent a long time washing behind that one ear. :-)

      Delete
    2. Dear Perpetua, you found the word I was looking for! I used "fastidious," but knew that wasn't on target. You used "meticulous" and that's precisely how cats groom. Thank you for the word. Peace.

      Delete
    3. Actually I think both words are very applicable, Dee. Because they are so fastidious, both cats and hares are meticulous in their grooming. :-)

      Delete
  4. DH: the next Richard Attenburough? Lovely footage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shhh, he'll get a swelled head, MM. :-) He does enjoy it though.

      Delete
  5. It is indeed very sweet, Perpetua. So glad the hare has decided you are a nice family to move in with!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The next step will be having him round for drinks, Patricia. :-)

      The whole video is sweet, but I love the sight of that ear popping up again after its good wash.

      Delete
  6. Aaaaaah!..... Lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is so neat Perpetua. Very nice, uploading to You Tube. I haven't tried that. It is quite a large hare. Is that their normal size. You are fortunate that it has decided that he like your grass. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's so easy, Bonnie and YouTube kindly send you an email with the link so you can share it with your family and friends. Hares are quite large animals, the biggest in that particular family. He's all stretched out this time and of course it's a close-up, thanks to DH's zoom lens.

      Delete
  8. Great title....:-)
    What a lovely glimpse of one very comfortable hare, Perpetua. He or she seems to have really taken to your garden and how lovely for you to be able to watch. Thanks for sharing.
    Axxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I rather liked it too. :-) I can't tell you how thrilled we are each time he or she comes back to spend another day resting just below our bathroom window, before heading out for the night.

      Delete
  9. Hearty thanks to your DH for making such a super video...I too loved the ear repeats.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He's done several now, but this is the first time I've tried uploading one. The sight of that single ear amid such busyness, and then the other reappearing like that, made our day....

      Delete
  10. He or she is so lovely -- why do I think it's a he, I wonder... Now you've started with You Tube, there will be no stopping you! We are expecting great things to be coming to Blogland now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't know, Broad, but we always say he too. If he keeps on growing and becomes a very big (and handsome) hare, he will more probably be a she. :-) I think any more videos I upload will have to be short too - these 30 seconds came to 45MB and we certainly don't have superfast broadband.

      Delete
  11. Love your video and his twitchy ears.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are gorgeous, aren't they, and the whole thing puts a big smile on my face.

      Delete
  12. You do realise don't you Perpetua, that having got half the country hooked on your big-eared friend you are now committed to covering the remainder of his/her life.
    Such gorgeous ears too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, no, what have I started? :-) We're enjoying every single visit, Ray, but are aware that they won't last for ever. Young hares like him tend to find a spot they like and feel safe in and return regularly for some months, but by the time he's mature he'll become much less territorial and we'll probably have to wave him goodbye. Sigh....

      Delete
  13. Thank you Perpetua for the once in a lifetime gllimpse into the life of a hair:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Far too lovely not to share, Shirley. It's something i never thought I'd see.

      Delete
  14. Replies
    1. It's so lovely and we feel very privileged.

      Delete
  15. Oh, thank you, Perpetua. The picture and the video were a delight to witness - and how very smart of you to post on YouTube. Good job!

    Your hares are much more fun than our rabbits are. I love this one in repose. You should frame one of the pictures.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you enjoyed them, Penny. The uploading process was incredibly simple and I'm sure I'll do it again some time. Watch this space....

      The lovely thing about hares from a nature-watcher's view is that they don't disappear into burrows at the slightest disturbance as rabbits do. Their instinct is to hunker down and freeze when danger threatens and find a quiet spot, where they feel invisible, to sleep during the day. It's our great good fortune that this spot is directly below our bathroom window. :-)

      Delete
  16. I love it. Your hare is becoming quite tame isn't he? He'll be moving into the house next.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a lovely thought! I'm not sure he's tame, Ayak, as we never go anywhere near him, but he certainly seems to feel safe. I never thought I'd see a wild animal stretched out asleep like that.

      Delete
  17. So what have you called him? I've got some ideas!
    Harry
    Henry
    Bunny (lol)
    Hank
    Bob
    :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never actually spoken it out loud, but the name Harold comes into my mind whenever I look at him. He's too dignified for abbreviations. :-)

      Delete
    2. Don't give him a name! You (and we)will become too emotionally involved, and Mother Nature can be very heartless!

      Lucky you to be able to enjoy the moment though.

      Spindrift51

      Delete
    3. I know, I know. :-) We're only too aware that we have foxes around here too and are relieved to see him return when he does. This morning we caught him exploring the yard and DH got some truly splendid shots, which will doubtless emerge in a future post.....

      Delete
  18. Your hare seems so relaxed. He/she is obviously getting used to the territory and you have a good place to observe him/her from your window. The grooming is fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's the amazing thing - to see a wild animal so at home and comfortable so close to the house. He's just arrived back to the exact same spot for the day and DH is taking today's record shot as I type.

      Delete
  19. Lovely! How nice he feels safe enough to come back regularly!

    A friend came yesterday to service our tractor mower and saw a hare lolopping about in an open field just up the lane from us. He stopped the car to watch for about 5 mins before driving the last little bit to our house. HAd a big smile on hos face when he drew up his car.

    BTW: Congrats on the Youtube upload

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Hare Preservation Trust says this is normal behaviour for a young hare who has to find a good place to pass the fays once he has left his mother. Apparently they can stay for up to 4 months, but of course we don't know how long he's been coming, just how long since we first noticed him.

      Yes, there's something about the sight of a hare in action that brings a smile to the most dour of faces. :-)

      Delete
  20. Like your play on words Perpetua - you and DH are enjoying some really good hare days at the moment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's bringing out my fondness for puns, Rosemary - and yours too. :-) We're loving every minute.

      Delete
  21. Very impressed with both the grooming and the technology that lets me watch your field

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The grooming came as a surprise to us, as we didn't realise hares are as fastidious as cats. :-) As for the technology, the advances continue to amaze me too.

      Delete
  22. The video is wonderful...what a treat. They have clearly decided you and DH are good people and deserve to be graced with their fabulous presence. Jx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it, Janice. We now have more for a future post, as this morning he was exploring the yard and bounding around the place and DH was filming every move. Such fun. :-)

      Delete
  23. I enjoyed your video- as a coincidence I saw a rabbit in the back yard this morning. I feel sheepish to tell you that I thought it was a nice fat one and would have made a good rabbit stew… I am behind reading posts as I have been away from the computer for almost two weeks (my last post was pre-scheduled.) Our daughter had a baby girl on May 10th (8 ½ pounds) so we were in Tennessee for the event.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That made me smile. You can take the woman out of France, but you can't take France out of the woman. :-)

      What a wonderful reason for being behind with reading posts. Meilleures félicitations, Mamie Vagabonde. :-)

      Delete
  24. I loved the little shiver-shake near the end of the recording. Well done - you are a technical wizard in my book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I - a lovely just-getting-comfortable moment. I'd better put in an order for that pointy hat then..... :-)

      Delete
  25. THank you for the lovely comment, Perpetua. You're a star :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're more than welcome, MM. It's very easy to say nice things about such splendid writing. :-)

      Delete

I welcome your comments and will always try to respond to them. Thank you for reading.