Rabbit Habitat

rabbits-kiss_tn2Think About It. Rabbit Habitat. Yes, I know, we followed the creatures through some conflict and fear last August; but, after all the difficulties, they still have the Rabbit Habit.  The saga continues in the wetlands across the street. The problems are exacerbated by new threats, while the joy of watching has increased with newly arrived species.

At dawn a few days ago an air battle took place between a hawk and a cloud of faster feathered friends, similar in aggression to the grackle (one of the nicknames of our eldest daughter). It was something out of a World War II movie within twenty feet of my office window.  Diving and dodging, the offending avian was overcome by what looked like many more than the “Four and twenty blackbirds” of song, agile and angry as they protected nests in the tall reeds and cattails. Unlike last year’s timid class, they fluffed their feathers and bravely chased the evil predator from the area. In a continued show of defiance they gathered atop the tallest, strongest bushes, for all the world to witness their pride and superiority.

Meanwhile, making a tour of the wetland’s edge was the neighborhood coyote, seemingly disinterested in the excitement overhead. Only once within my view did it dart into the bush and come out masticating a morsel, then continue on what I have called its “milk route”.  If you don’t understand the allusion, ask your parents. If they don’t know, you are a very young reader.

Without skipping a beat, a large flock of swallows (like the condominium-lodging martins) stopped by to entertain with tapered wings and fleet flight, looking for all the world like the feature at an air show. Gone by next day, they must have taken their act on the road to another town.

For the purpose of understanding and discussing the activities of our old friends the cottontails, we have given the creatures ages as if they were human.  A month ago, the baby kits and kittens began to sneak out of the nests, up to the grass of the outer world, and immediately be threatened or worse, by civilization. But, because of their parents legendary habit, soon we saw the scrawny tweens followed by the obviously hormonal teens. Some demonstrated! (family essay)  One young buck was embarrassed by a speedier developing doe when she stopped, looked back, sneered and ambled off into a Wonderworld and down an anthropomorphic rabbit hole, just like Alice.

Happily, there’s been no sighting of the dreaded raptor in the past week. And after all the excitement subsided, it was clear that the bunnies still had their well known habit and happily for me, the Rabbit Habitat. Think About It.

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