Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk Archive

Brown hare running on one foot. Sunny August morning Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Late summer hares, Norton Suffolk

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk, Farming and wildlife Norton Suffolk

By August the oil seed rape and many of the oats fields have been harvested and the brown hares move back into the game cover planted round the farms. These hares were photographed  early August in and around the game mix areas.

Brown hare pair June boxing close on early morning. June Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Brown Hares, Summer 2015 Norton Suffolk

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk
Brown hare sitting close at dawn, March Suffolk. Lepus europeanus

Spring Brown hares, Norton 2015

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk, Farming and wildlife Norton Suffolk

As the days grow longer the brown hares at Norton are easier to see. It has been a long wet winter and on surrounding farms hare have ben shot. The hares are nervous and shy but as time passes they relaxing a little. I will keep watching and adding images to this page.

Brown Hare, foot up, evening hay meadow, Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Winter Hares at Halls farm Norton

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk, Farming and wildlife Norton Suffolk

Brown hares that were easy to see in October seem to vanish during November and the short days of December. They are of course still at Halls and Little haugh farms but as the weather gets colder and the days shorter Hares shelter more in field edges, woodland and hedges. Brown hares do come out in the fields to feed at the same time but at 6pm in December it is dark and they are only glimpsed in the sweep of car headlights. Running into February the light increases noticeably every day and the winter crops that have been dormant start to grow again, many of the “mole hills” in these fields turn into hares when seen through binoculars. The heavy clay Suffolk soil is saturated by weeks of rain, footprints become puddles in minutes, to avoid the wet and mud hares prefer feeing and resting in grassland on the farms. The images below were taken in the rough tussocky meadows behind the farm yard where hares can keep their feet out of the mud. Hares are starting to be seen in pairs in this meadow is a sure sign that March and spring is not far away.

Brown Hare, wet and walking early September morning, Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Autumn Hares Halls farm 2014

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk

September has arrived. The days are getting shorter. Fields have been harvested and there are fewer places for the Hares to hide. The most obvious hares are this summer’s leverets, they must grow before winter. they are often feeding early morning and evening at field edges.

Brown Hare low jog, June sunset. Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Summer Hares Norton Suffolk 2014

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk

As spring turns to summer the behaviour of the Brown Hares living round Norton is changing. The frantic social life of the adults is calming down, many of the females have young and can be seen secretly emerging from thick grass fields where the leverets are hidden. There are many young half grown hares chasing and interacting especially in the evening in the low sunlight. Watching and photographing hares becomes more challenging as the crops grow above their heads.

 

 

Brown Hare close nose washing. Morning light Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

Spring Hares at Halls Farm Noton

Brown Hares, seasons at Norton Suffolk, Farming and wildlife Norton Suffolk

Spring is one of the best times of the year to see Hares. Hares can be seen as plants are still growing, days are longer and there is lots of social activity. Halls Farm has a large Brown Hare population, the wide field margins and 5% of the land out of production mean there is lots of habitat. In addition the Hare are welcomed by the Honeywood family, Hares are not shot on the farm and are less wary than other Hares, this makes it easier the photograph them.