Warm and sunny – 16C Wind Sl SW – Lowt’s Wood
I was looking at some deer tracks when I spotted the hare some distance away. It was slowly hopping in my direction. I stood stock still wondering what to do. It had its head down and seemed to be sniffing the ground. I felt behind me knowing that a tree was quite close. The hare had turned away from me and was again ‘nose-down’ so I took the risk and slowly sat down against the tree.
I had my camcorder in my hand and slowly adjusted the screen so I could view the hare through the moveable viewfinder. While I was looking through the viewfinder I notice it had resumed it’s slow hop, pausing between each one and still moving directly towards me. Unbelievably, it didn’t stop. I looked through the viewfinder to see the image of the hare getting bigger and bigger until it filled the whole screen. I realised I was holding my breath and tried to relax.
The hare stopped and sat on it’s haunches. It was no more than 3 meters away. Another hop brought it even closer. I then realised I was looking directly at the hare – one of the cardinal sins of getting close to wildlife – but I couldn’t help it! I took in every detail. The dark coat, the enormous black-tipped ears, the thin face, and… the eyes! Those red eyes! They were mesmerising. I had read about the mystical, magical hare. The myths and the legends. The ‘wood-cat’, the ‘purblind’, and the link to witches and other world-wide superstitions. ‘The Starer – the one who makes you afraid.’ The hare was looking at me. Looking straight at me – seemingly into my very soul! It was quite unnerving to say the least. It turned away and, with a series of short, leisurely hops, it was out of sight. I sat there for a good while – stunned!
The story goes that in County Roscommon in Ireland, a man went to shoot a hare, but it turned to look at him and said “You wouldn’t shoot your old grandfather now, would you?” I just wonder…
extracted from “Master Tracker” – published by Apple Books
