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| December Snow - pastel sketch on paper |
After some sub-zero observations I am now convinced that Mountain Hares have a two part winter pelage activation process built into their physiology. Today the snow is widespread and has formed deep drifts on the lee slopes away from an Arctic sent wind and with it comes a penetrating chill that freezes fingers the minute a glove is removed to sketch or take photos. The covering of snow has given the hares a new freedom to roam under their camouflage of snow matching fur but there are still a few hares that are half way there with patches of brown fur showing through and they have to catch up because that brown fur does not have the insulating thickness of those hares that are exhibiting a more advanced stage of winter pelage. One hare has very patchy fur, mostly brown, and it does not look well with eyes that are tinged with sleepy death. The onset of snowy conditions has triggered the growth of pure white guard hairs that are long and insulating on most hares at this elevation and the pale grey-brown tinged fur of the previous month is disappearing below this new growth that towards March will be completely bluish-white. Strangely enough, the correct name for the Mountain Hare is Blue Hare and in sunlight the shadow of a hare against snow is violet-blue which suffuses the whole beast in a distinctly blue hue.
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| Sketching today at wind chill factor of minus 10c |
With the snow comes a change in the hare's behaviour as well, they are more prone to confidently gallop off across the snowy moor as soon as they see you approach, which is in contrast to the stay still tactics displayed last month when the moor was bare of snow. Last month, reaching for the camera was usually received with a patient pose but today the action of taking a glove off and reaching for the camera sent them careering off, much to my frost nipped finger's annoyance. One exception came gambolling towards me, doing its feet off the ground levitation trick that hares just do as a matter of course on snow. The very long, pure white hair was growing through the 'base' coat to increase the overall thickness of fur by at least three centimetres and right now my fingers are dreaming of a pair of gloves made from that precious 'wool'.
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| Winter Sun, Glen Esk - pastel sketch on paper |
The creatures of the high moors adapt in many ways to this harsh life. The much besmirched Red Grouse scrapes a bivouac hole from the snow drifting behind a rise in the heather to see out the worst of the weather. I find a communal terrace of holes dug out from the snow, each having a meagre collection of poops in them. Every hole has been pecked and scratched out into a tear drop shape to smooth the bitter wind around it and Ptarmigan grouse do exactly the same thing on the higher mountains not far from here. Just behind the grouse bivvy are the tracks of a Red Fox, a big one, that I have followed for a couple of miles. He seems intent on finding something, but not maybe grouse or hare, for at this time of year the vixen of the species comes into heat and I presume he is big because his front paws prints are as large, let's say, as an Alsation. Hill tods are usually much heavier than the scraggy city version but I have to admit in never having seen one on the high hills yet.
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| Grouse bivvies |
I did find the 'Wildcat' tracks in the snow though and it strolled up the snow drifted estate track through the Rabbit infested area where some carcasses flensed by the cat were found recently. The powder slab that squeaked underfoot had formed some very unusual wind crafted forms and the cat and the fox and me followed them upwards. I have the wise habit of following fox tracks in deep snow because these wily creatures know instinctively where the snow will support their weight, veer away from their tracks and you will sink knee deep into powder drift, strange but nearly always true. The flurry of Snow Buntings were still scouting the heather for its seed and it is so sweet to hear their delicate tweets bouncing off the teeth of the bitter wind as they fly ever deeper into it, brave wee birds.
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| Mountain Hare levitation |
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| Note the huge rear feet to act as snow shoes |
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| Enough levitating, note the long white fur growing in |
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| The rear paws have strong claws to grip icy snow |
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| Retarded pelage change and acting cold |
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| The stages of hare pelage |
It looks as if the deer stalkers have been laying into the older Red Deer hinds to reduce numbers because one of the local herds in the glen seems to consist mainly of younger beasts. The path along the glen is chopped up with hoof prints from the stalker's Garron pony and drops of blood from a gralloched deer slung over its saddled back stain the snow for a mile or so. I sort of pitied the pony because every step it took evidently ended up with an icy ball of snow under its hooves which was shed every other step onto the path. Difficult, uncomfortable going for the pony but, if it was the one called Fergus, I am sure he took it all in his good tempered stride. And to end this day, the coming of snow and ice has finally driven the resident Woodcock away, no doubt to balmier climes further down the glen where there is little snow cover but, to add mystery to improbability, I am sure that I heard a Golden Plover calling from the heights near a place that they do frequent in summer. The ghost of the piping plover is haunting the springs and summers of my mind and, that, anticipates next year's warmth without a delusory doubt!
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| Stags have formed into groups |
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| Young looking herd unwilling to move higher up the hill |
Notes;
My new book 'Wildsketch' is available from
Blurb Bookshop
All sketches and photos done on the day and are subject to artist copyright.
Please be aware that it is illegal to disturb nesting eagles or other raptors and you may do so inadvertently in your journeys into the highlands. I do not recommend searching for any of the species mentioned in this blog because this may cause undue disturbance to them. With my knowledge of the areas described I can locate and observe protected species at a respectful distance usually from about 1000 metres for short periods of time only.
Deer stalking is ongoing at the moment so please check local information and follow requests to alter your plans. My hill wandering in some areas is confined to Sunday when no stalking occurs.
No wildlife was unduly or knowingly disturbed by my presence or for the purposes of this web page other than what would be expected on a normal hill walk. Canon bridge camera zoom lens 50x used.
