Brown Hare

I headed to Birsay for spring migrants but a northeasterly wind is not helpful and I did not get any likely first appearances by eg wheatear.
I started in the hide at RSPB The Loons where there were little grebes, shoveler, teal, wigeon etc, then then walked the road down to Marwick. I saw a few hares but distantly. I went over Marwick Head and more distant hares, but the rougher ground up there meant that this one did not see me until quite close. You can't really see in this image but its right ear is practically split in two, it must be an old mating season injury. Pity about the fence. An old Scots word for hare is 'mawkin' and there's a saying 'the mawkin's o'er the hill', meaning 'the hare you were hunting has accelerated away over the hill to safety, so the hunt is over' ie any situation which is a dead loss and where you need to move on. Extra of wigeons against the lighthouse on the Brough of Birsay.