Mild weather sends mad March hares bonkers - in February

You’ve heard the phrase ‘Mad as a March hare’, right?

Well, it might have to be revisited soon, with warmer winter weather sending March hares mad – in February.

In northern Scotland, one of the first signs of spring is seeing mad March hares boxing.

But mild weather and lack of heavy snow has seen them scrapping in February – weeks before their normal time.

Although boxing hares have previously been thought to be between males vying for dominance, but research has showed that it is often females testing the strength of the males.

Wildlife photographer and guide Andy Howard caught hares scrapping on camera in the Cairngorms national park near his home in Inverness.

Andy, 46 said: “This winter has been particularly mild and with the lack of snow, this seems to have started the hares’ ‘mad March’ boxing early.”

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“It’s at this time of the year that the female hares, Jills, come into season. This in turn attracts the attention of the male hares, Jacks.

“It’s not uncommon to find large groups of up to 20 or more hares congregating at this time.”

Andy said: “The Jills box with their potential partners to test their strength and these stop/start battles can rage on for hours.

“I witnessed these hares battling out for several hours.

“In this instance there were a group of around 15 hares charging around where I was lying, but it was these two who were the ones coming to blows.”

Andy spends up to four days per week photographing and studying mountain hares, often lying in the snow for hours to get his shots.

He loves the other wildlife found within the Cairngorm National Park such as Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Crested Tits and Black Grouse, but has spent the most time with the hares, learning that each one has their own unique character.

Andy has known one individual hare for more than four years now and another young Jill since she was about a month old.