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Native Californian, biologist, wildlife conservation consultant, retired Smithsonian scientist, father of two daughters, grandfather of 4 small primates. INTJ. Believes nature is infinitely more interesting than shopping malls. Born 100 years too late.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Jackrabbit hideout



A couple days ago I scared up a black-tailed jackrabbit. It was hiding in a rabbit-made depression (or form) under a live oak on a steep slope near the house. Resting nearby was another jack that joined it as it fled. I assume the female was the one in the form. When I returned with a camera trap an hour later she was back in the form. So I frightened her twice in the same day.

After that mistake, I checked the site with binoculars several times that day, but a day and a half passed before she returned to her form around 6:12AM. I got only 20 pictures over the next hour because the cam was using internal memory. I checked on her periodically during the day and found her hunkered down in the form. She had retreated to it after the cam stopped shooting

Rabbits have a peculiar nutritional habit of eating their own feces (its called refecation). I think she might be doing that in this photo. I'm leaving the cam in place, and with luck will have more to say in a few days.

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