Northern Flicker

The Flickers must have a nest nearby.  I went for an evening stroll around the garden yesterday, hoping to see Hare-iet, when I noticed some movement in one corner.  I saw one flicker, and although I saw digging motions in another spot, the other flicker remained hidden.  They are very cautious birds, and if they detect me, they are gone.  I was able to get a picture of one of them searching in the weeds for insects, probably ants.

And Hare-iet.  She was there later, having her evening meal.

Snowshoe Hare

Hare-iet is changing to her summer coat.  She was wearing winter white the last time we saw her.

Spring is well on its way - earlier than usual.  The poplars have leafed out, and the shrubs are full of buds.  It is raining at the moment...  

Enjoying a Meal

Snowshoe Hare

When I looked out and saw Hare-iet in my garden, I quickly pulled up the venetian blind.  She immediately jumped at the sound and ran to the safety of the bushes.  The next time I saw her, she was sitting on a mound in the front yard eating clover.

A Visitor to the Garden

stayed a while enjoying the freshly sprouted grass

HAPPY EASTER

A Frequent Visitor

In truth, the humans and wildlife share this place.

Snowshoe Hare

Two Hares

were observed from a window....

8:00 A.M

One hare watched cautiously from a spot on a mound,

while the other hare dozed under a bush.

Suddenly, the first hare became fully alert, turned and ran into the woods.

The other hare sat up at this commotion, but stayed sitting under the bush.

Later, when I checked, the hare had left this cozy spot and was sitting on the driveway.  She seemed to want to go back to her nap and hopped in the direction of the bush, pausing to eat a dandelion leaf on the way.  She didn't stay too long though.  The mosquitoes may have bothered her too much as every so often she flicked her ears to shoo them away.

Mother's Day

The hare was near the Saskatoon bushes earlier this morning eating dandelion greens.  We jokingly wonder how soon it'll be before she's bringing her babies by for a visit.

At the moment, the weather here is sunny and warm with some wind. 

A Very Active Bunny This Morning

first seen pulling up tufts of grass, then running back into the woods, then reappearing to continue eating....this went on for awhile.  Every time I thought s(he) had run away to hide for the rest of the day, she hopped out into the open again, even venturing as far as my garden to sniff a strawberry plant.        

Snowshoe Hare

wearing a new summer coat

Road Trip, Then Home

This morning...two hares, one still wearing his winter coat, white with one or two brown patches and the other one looking decidedly more like summer.

Looking Out the Window

at a quarter to seven
last Sunday morning
my sleep addled brain
took in two ears poking up
above a snowbank

(s)he hurried across the yard

and scampered around to the side of the house

when I moved the curtain aside
(s)he became jittery,

and before you might say
abracadabra!
the hare was gone again

~ April ~

The Story of the Snowshoe Hare

All winter I had been seeing the tracks, but never did I see the one who made the tracks, the snowshoe hare.  And then by sheer coincidence I saw the "bunny" on the Easter long weekend.  He became our Easter Bunny.  Happily, I've seen the hare again, and this time there was a second one, too.  The first one dashed away before I could take a picture. But the second hare stayed for another five minutes or so until she/he also hopped away.  

 The Snowshoe Hare's winter coat is slowly changing back to brown.

This picture shows the Snowshoe Hare's large hind feet.

I stood on the driveway watching the hare nibbling a twig. 

 

Snowshoe Hare

 HAPPY EASTER

Seasonal Changes

One morning, recently, we saw this lovely creature near the house.

Growing a new winter coat

In motion

Snowshoe Hare (Lepus americanus)

(main source for information: Hinterland Who's Who)

- also called the Varying Hare
- found only in North America
- common in all regions of Canada
- ears shorter than other hares' ears
- fur turns white in winter
- large hind legs
- habitat - prefers coniferous forests with dense understory
- black tufts of fur on edges of ears
- diet in winter: twigs, bark, spruce tree needles

Earth