My First Hare of the Year – The Perfect First Blog Post

I've been thinking about starting a blog for a while, when I saw the first hare speeding about the garden a few mornings ago, I thought - how fitting for my website "Hill Top Hare House" !

Although spring is usually the best time to spot hares, because this is when the baby hares are born, I was delighted to see what looked like a teenage hare on 15th July.

It was around 6 a.m., and the hare was incredibly alert, constantly stopping to look around before moving on. Every time I see a hare, I'm amazed at just how fast they can dart across the countryside.

There's a field of tall grass beside our house where the cows graze, and the hare suddenly leaped into our garden. I think it caught sight of movement from inside the house because, just as quickly, it bounded back into the field. A moment later, it emerged again and sped up the lane towards my parents' house.

For a second, I was tempted to ring them and tell them to look out of the window, but then I remembered it was only six o'clock in the morning, and they were almost certainly still fast asleep! My little boys were so excited!

When Are You Most Likely to Spot a Hare in Ireland?

Dawn and Dusk Are the Best Times

If you're hoping to spot a hare in Ireland, your best chance is to head out at dawn or dusk. Irish hares are most active during these quieter hours, leaving their grassy resting places, known as forms, to feed. There's something truly magical about watching the countryside wake up and suddenly catching sight of a hare bounding effortlessly across a field.

Spring Brings the Most Hare Activity

Spring is one of the best seasons for hare watching in Ireland. From February to April, the breeding season begins, bringing the famous "Mad as a March Hare" behaviour to life. You might see hares chasing each other across open fields or even witness the well-known boxing displays, which are often females fending off eager males. It's one of Ireland's most fascinating wildlife spectacles.

Where to Look for Irish Hares

The Irish hare prefers open countryside, including farmland, meadows, and coastal grasslands. Walk quietly, take your time, and scan fields during the early morning or evening. They're incredibly well camouflaged, so it's often their distinctive bounding movement that gives them away rather than their colour.

Every Hare Sighting Feels Special

There's something unforgettable about seeing a hare in the wild. Whether it's your first sighting of the year it always feels so special to see! It's encounters like these that inspire my love of Ireland's countryside and many of the designs in my collection of Irish greeting cards, celebrating the wildlife and landscapes that make this island so special.