Hippity Hop

Last week I was out early with one of our dogs and we were in the far end of our yard. It's a naturalized area, with native trees and vegetation along the original farm fenceline, before the land was turned into a subdivision. The dog was sniffing at a clump of fluff, probably from a stuffed toy and blown in by the wind, so I picked it up. There was more, and since that particular dog I was with eats everything he can, I wanted to get it before he did. When my fingers touched a larger clump, I felt something move and heard a squeak. Yikes! It was a nest of newborn bunnies, hidden under a mass of their mother's fur.

The dog and I beat a hasty retreat and I called the local wildlife rescue organization for advice. I was told to put a laundry basket over the nest to keep the babies safe from the dogs. They said to remove the basket at dusk and replace it in the morning, since mum only feeds her babies at dawn and dusk, and is away the rest of the time.

It's been going well so far, and the dogs have shown little interest, which is just as well. Dogs can be quite naughty sometimes.

Slava Ukraini
Glory to Ukraine