1810_1105 White-tailed Prairie Hare
Human activity in the Grasslands campground dwindles after October 1st - really, you almost have to be insane to think this is a good time to camp on the northern prairie - so when I'm driving by I scan for wildlife. A cattleguard prevents bison from entering, but I sometimes find smaller mammals there: ground squirrels, porcupines, etc. On this occasion, a prairie hare (aka white-tailed jack rabbit) was hunkered down in a sheltered spot, enjoying some of the year's last warmth.
I used the rolling red car blind for this one, cushioning the 500 mm lens with a bean bag over the window sill. Unlike the cottontails that also live in this park, these hares turn white for the winter. It appears that this transformation has just begun. By December, they will be almost invisible against the snow-covered prairie.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2018 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
1810_1105 White-tailed Prairie Hare
Human activity in the Grasslands campground dwindles after October 1st - really, you almost have to be insane to think this is a good time to camp on the northern prairie - so when I'm driving by I scan for wildlife. A cattleguard prevents bison from entering, but I sometimes find smaller mammals there: ground squirrels, porcupines, etc. On this occasion, a prairie hare (aka white-tailed jack rabbit) was hunkered down in a sheltered spot, enjoying some of the year's last warmth.
I used the rolling red car blind for this one, cushioning the 500 mm lens with a bean bag over the window sill. Unlike the cottontails that also live in this park, these hares turn white for the winter. It appears that this transformation has just begun. By December, they will be almost invisible against the snow-covered prairie.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission © 2018 James R. Page - all rights reserved.