You might not think a plain ol' cottontail, hopping down the graveled path which runs past my workroom end of the cottage, to be much in the way of portrait or post material. Well, that's because you don't know that hopping rabbits—or non-hopping ones, for that matter—on the graveled path or elsewhere in the yard, could legitimately be called rare. Fact is, this might be the first one I've spotted through this window since moving here nearly eight years ago.
Not that cottontails are otherwise rare hereabouts—merely rare to my yard. I see one every now and then at the end of the driveway. And I frequently spot them in yards belonging to neighbors up the road.
But not here, in the main yard. Maybe because of the nearby river. The rocky, lack-of-escape-holes ground. Or especially the prevalence of roaming cats. Certainly not because of any shortage of food—until I mowed yesterday, you could have lost a Volkswagen in the lush, knee-high grass.
Whatever. When this one came hop, hop, hopping into view recently, I was more than a bit startled. Which made two of us, as Br'er Rabbit seemed equally nonplussed when he paused, glanced at the cottage window, and saw some surprised fellow eagerly pointing a handy Nikon his way.
14 comments:
Great shot of a 'rare hare'!!!
HI GRIZZ - I always get so excited when I see a cotton tail hopping along. We had quite a few at our other place, here, haven't seen any yet but I here-tell they are around. I am a tad on the low side (see last post), but managing. Hope the colors of Spring will brighten my spirit in time....Mother's Day approaching is breaking my heart - I miss my Mom so much...
Love Gail
peace....
Wonderful photo today.
Now that the temperatures are hitting 90 + I see lots of cottontails lounging, cooling off in the wells of my citrus trees and rosemary plants where the water systems are.
cheers, parsnip
Are you sure the dog Moon doesn't have a pact with the rabbits--you don't come here, I won't chase you?
Not only do we have PLENTY of yard rabbits, we also have a hutch bunny (a domesticated one) that our neighbor bequethed to me when he tired of feeding it. So, now I have Hoppy (so named by the neighbor's young son) living in a hutch and in a play yard we set up for him. The wild rabbits are a tad confused.
And i must say Grizz that he is greatly enhanced by the dandelions.
Muffy's Marks…
Thank you. One of those grab/point/shoot deals…and pure luck that I had the right camera rigged and ready. That bunny didn't sit still for long.
Gail…
Rabbits are as common as, well, rabbits hereabouts…except when it comes to my yard. I see geese, ducks, herons, kingfishers, squirrels, groundhogs, pileated woodpeckers, etc. daily. And I've actually had deer, beaver, mink, muskrats, of course raccoons and o'possums, plus all sorts of hawks, vultures, even eagles visit far more often than plain old cottontails. Rabbits up the road, rabbits across the road, rabbits on the edge of the road at the end of my driveway…but maybe only once or twice a rabbit in the yard, and never one I spotted from my deskside window.
You know, I've come to believe that one way we celebrate those we love is to miss and morn them. The sharpness of the pain and loss eases over time, but never the depth, because that depth measures the depth of our love for that individual. I miss my mother, too—and my father…and others, kin and kith. I loved them then and now. Mother's Day is especially poignant sometimes because it can fall on my birthday; this year, though, it's two days after.
Angryparsnip…
I see the fewest rabbits here (actually in my yard) than any place I've ever lived—country, suburbs, city. Who wudda thunk!
KGMom…
Moon would have never made such a pact with any creature—especially not a very chase-worthy rabbit. Alas, my dear Moon is slowing considerably, and can no longer case anything…though once, not too long ago, she ran like the wind.
I think it's great that Hoppy-of-the-Hutch, your gifted tame rabbit, now has his wild kin confused. They probably don't know what a poor rabbit has to do to become a Big House bunny.
Weaver…
He is, or was, as those dandelions, impressive though they were, have now been selectively picked and afterwards the remainder mowed into history. Next visit he'll have to pause at the purple cress bed a few feet farther along to pose for an enhanced portrait.
Hi gain - thanks Grizz for your kind understanding. Always so appreciated and wise, heartfelt and honest.
Love Gail
peace.....
p.s.
Also, "kingfishers'? Are those another name for fisher-cats?
Gail…
Hey, what are friends for? I do understand and just hope a word here and there helps. It's all I know to do…
FYI, kingfishers are lovely and interesting birds found along most Midwestern rivers and lakes. Fish eaters, they hunt by sitting on a limb that extends over the water's surface. This gives them a handy perch to watch for minnows and small fish below. They feed by plunging into the water and grabbing their prey, which they generally first carry back to the limb before killing and eating. Kingfishers are smaller than a crow and bigger than a city pigeon. They are a slatey blue, with white breast and, in females, a rusty band. They have almost oversized heads and are crested, like a blue jay, except messier—think rocker hair from, say, an old Kiss groupie. Not uncommon at all here along the river.
ME AGAIN - thanks for the wonderful lesson on
Kingdfishers. I knew none of what you shared. Wow. And I love the comparison to an ole "Kiss" groupie. Perfect.
Love Gail
peace..
Gail
Yup, look up some images…hard-rock, heavy-metal, seriously-spiked, old-groupie hair. Probably has tattoos and a couple of piercings under those feathers, and maybe a roach clip tucked beneath a wing.
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