With sunshine and longer days, with snowdrops and the first buds of new growth, there are cheering signs that Spring is finally on the way. But on a walk last week I spotted one animal at least that isn't ready yet to wave goodbye to the winter. On a late-lingering snow-field, I was thrilled to chance upon half-a-dozen Mountain Hares.
The first one I saw was standing upright on his back legs, close to the path. His long ears shot up in mock surprise and he cocked his head at a quizzical angle as though to say: "What on earth are you doing here?" After a few seconds he dropped back onto his front feet and bounded across the snow with an incredible turn of speed. And as I watched him sprint away I suddenly realised that the whole slope in front of me was covered in a chaotic flurry of hares running in all directions. If only I could move that swiftly and easily uphill through the snow!
All too soon their white coats disappeared into the featurelessness of the surrounding landscape, and I carried on with my slow plod towards the summit, amazed that any animal could be so well suited to life in such a cold and hostile place. The trick, it turns out, is big feet and brilliantly-evolved natural camouflage. The Mountain Hare has broad pads that act like snowshoes; and a coat that changes from brown in the summer to white in the winter in order to blend with the snow-covered hillsides.
Unexpected discoveries and sightings really are one of the great joys of walking. I later found out that I'd unwittingly headed into one of the best areas in Britain to see these hares: the grouse moors of the Cairngorm hills, where they can dig down even through the snow for shrubs and heather to eat. Yet for all that it was a wonderful surprise, my chance encounter also served as a warning: even as we head into March, winter hasn't entirely sounded the retreat. These well-adapted mountain dwellers clearly haven't seen fit to dump their white camouflage yet in favour of their warm-weather attire. And while 're still wearing their winter coats, I think I'll keep mine on too!