Brown Hare (1 Viewer)

T

trw

Well-known member

• May 23, 2020

• #1

Not sure how this species is doing nationally but round here they are regulary seen.
I generally see up to four on my local patch but yesterday I spotted eleven, which is remarkable.
Often see them in several other places round here.
My local patch is a drained moss with a couple of small woods. Generally its wall to wall sheep fields but there's also an extensive number hedges and ditches on the edges of the fields.
Generally there's little disturbance in the fields apart from the sheep, a few cows and farmers ocassionally working them.

 

A

aeshna5

Well-known member

• May 24, 2020

• #2

I'm not aware of any in the more rural outskirts of London. Many years ago they used to be near Heathrow. I think they're at places like Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey. I usually see them if I go up to Norfolk or Rutland Water.

 

Farnboro John

Well-known member

• May 24, 2020

• #3

They are in general decline with not only persecution from illegal coursing, often town-based groups coming out in white vans, very hard for even estate managers and farmland shoot owners to detect and catch as they can hit anywhere they like night after night, but also one of the Rabbit fatal diseases having made a species jump. I've a feeling it's not myxomatosis but could be wrong.

We still have them on the chalk to the West but not the numbers that used to be there.

John

 

Adey Baker

Member

• May 24, 2020

• #4

I've had up to eleven on a site near to me recently. Big threat here comes from the fact that the whole area is under threat of destruction to make way for a railfreight interchange/distribution complex covering over 500 acres. Breeding Lapwing, Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Linnet, occasional Yellow Wagtail, etc., also in same area.

 

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J

Jabberwocky

Well-known member

• May 24, 2020

• #5

We still get some here on the arable fields next to our house. I've spent several hours watching them this spring. It's been good entertainment watching them box and chase around the fields. Saw one pair mating too. We had one in the garden and I caught another on the camera trap after dark too. They seem to be doing well and living alongside a group of rabbits. Another week and the crops will be too high to see them.

Here is a piece about the virus John mentioned.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/business/rhdv2-rabbit-virus-found-in-hares-1-5865980

 

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T

trw

Well-known member

• May 25, 2020

• #6

Jabberwocky said:

We still get some here on the arable fields next to our house. I've spent several hours watching them this spring. It's been good entertainment watching them box and chase around the fields. Saw one pair mating too. We had one in the garden and I caught another on the camera trap after dark too. They seem to be doing well and living alongside a group of rabbits. Another week and the crops will be too high to see them.

Here is a piece about the virus John mentioned.
https://www.eadt.co.uk/business/rhdv2-rabbit-virus-found-in-hares-1-5865980

Click to expand...

Good to hear they are doing well in other places too.