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Morning Stretch


Morning Stretch
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-12-16
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/11, 1/1000 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Donnas Favorite Wildlife photos! [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-12-29 18:34
Viewed: 899
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 46
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This White-tailed jackrabbit is doing its' morning stretch in the image. We have lots of these guys around Jenner this year.

White-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus townsendii
General Description

By Gustave J. Yaki


The tiny leveret (baby hare) born only an hour ago, weighing just 100 grams, huddles with its three siblings in the shallow hollow scraped out by its mother the day before. It is fully furred, bright-eyed and equipped with a fairly long, tiny white tail. Nearby, in the bright moonlight, it can see its mother, pursued by another hare, perhaps slightly larger. They rise on their hind feet to face each other, and momentarily spar. Then as she approaches to box again, the male leaps high into the air, right over her. She in turn leaps over him. They carry on like this for a few more minutes before she suddenly dashes off. He follows in hot pursuit. As quickly as she started, she suddenly stops and crouches. The male mounts, and in seconds the mating act is over. In 41 to 47 days, another foursome of half-brothers and sisters will be born. Within a day or so the leverets leave their hollow to disperse, regrouping only to nurse from the mother once or twice a day. They are eating green vegetation by two weeks of age. At five weeks they are fully weaned, just before the third and final litter of the season is born. Then, on their own they reach adult size, weighing in at about four kilograms when 14 weeks old. They do not breed until the next spring.

White-tailed Jackrabbits are hares of the open spaces, avoiding heavy woods. With prominent eyes high on their head, they have almost 360 degree vision, allowing them to see most approaching enemies. During the day they rest in a shallow sheltered 'form', often under some standing vegetation, green or dried, such as Alfalfa or weedy plants. Should a hungry Coyote approach, they bound away on leaps of 5.5 to 6 metres, at speeds of 64 kms per hour, sustaining that pace for a kilometre or more. Generally, they circle back to the starting point. Coyotes, which often hunt in pairs, know this habit, so while one is actively pursuing, the other stays behind to lie in ambush near the starting point. Hares at one time were classified as Rodents, mainly because of their similar front incisors. A major difference is the pair of dowel-shaped teeth immediately behind those chisel-sharp front teeth. As a result, they have been placed in an order of their own, the Lagomorphs. They are totally vegetarians. All members of this group re-ingest their fecal material, running it through their digestive tract a second time to absorb nutrients which were broken down after the point of extraction the first time.

In Alberta, this order is shared with rabbits (cottontails) and pikas. One other member of this group, the Varying or Snowshoe Hare ranges widely except in the open prairie of the southern part of the province. The White-tailed Jackrabbit occurs widely in the grassland region in the southeast part of the province, south of the boreal forest. Most rabbits and hares are characterized by their long ears which gives them excellent hearing, but also acts as heat exchangers during hot summer days or when being pursued. Their long hind feet aid them with their prodigious springboard leaps, particularly in the winter, keeping them on top of the snow while their larger, smaller-footed pursuers break through. Only hares among the Lagomorphs changed their pelage to match the seasons, turning white at the onset of winter and grey-brown again beginning in mid-March, allowing them to be camouflaged against their background.
CeltickRanger, claudine, eqshannon, Luis52, Argus, NinaM, uleko, fartash, PaulH, Patleboss, jaycee, MMM, SelenE, Ena has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hello Rick

i love your image, white on white, i like the image's pov too,
only one thing Rick, i would give a horizontal framing
with less place at the top of the image and more place
at the lef of the image where the jackrabbit is looking, TFS

Asbed

Hi Rick,
I would love to see those guys too! What a beautiful creature this is. You captured and excellent moment that reminds me a lot of what my cats do. I never realized that rabbits could stretch too :) Exposure is wonderful as we can clearly distinguish the white rabbit on the white snow. I like this picture a lot and I would love to have them in my neighborhood. Thanks!
Claudine

A different approach to a vertical shot... some say that if a heavy person wears black it will make them look thinner. Not sure if that is universally true, probably not, however you took a thin shot and made it thinner...it is a eye toy...M.C.Escher was a graphic artist who did fine work like this but a lot more complex. The notion is to stop one on a particular area or photo or painting or sketch and make them look more than twice...who knows how many times....I wonder if you even had that in mind...perhaps in s subliminal way without knowing. Interesting...go search it out..it's a fun and certainly must be on the net somewhere..
Bob

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1026 W: 5 N: 2888] (10447)
  • [2007-12-29 19:26]

Hi Rick. Nice and funny photo of this white Rabit. The colors are amazing and i like the pose. Never seen a rabit in white colors before.
TFS.
Regards Luis52.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-12-29 20:21]

Hello Rick

Like all great sprinters,a little stretching must take place before the explosion of speed.
A wonderful capture of this hare.I rarely see the varying hares we used to have around here.They have become prey to various predators that are rebounding in numbers.
An excellent POV and DOF.
The details are excellent.Looks like just a dusting of snow there.
TFS

Rob
All the best for 2008

hi rick
very long and interesting note
amazing winter dress

good picture with funny title
aleks ;-)
best wishes

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1159 W: 255 N: 2639] (11925)
  • [2007-12-30 0:37]

Hi Rick,

Yeah a real morning stretch,a well timed shot as I suppose he only made one stretch,tfs have a nice and healthy 2008

Paul

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2770 W: 151 N: 7984] (24857)
  • [2007-12-30 2:18]

Hello Rick,
Great shot of a winter Jack Rabbit having a leg stretch! Excellent exposure of the whites and nice composition suiting the pose and POV with good sharpness and side lighting.
Well done and thanks.
Best wishes for 2008!
Ivan

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
  • [2007-12-30 5:16]

Hi Rick, this is a wonderful picture of a rabbit, how cute this little animal is and you captured it so well. The exposure is perfect and I like that we see the "blue" snow against the "blue" rabbit. I didn't know those rabbits had a black tip on their ears. I like the pose as usually we see them in the alarm pose, but this one seems quite at ease. Thanks!

Francine

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2585 W: 170 N: 7879] (24911)
  • [2007-12-30 6:03]

Hello Rick,
This is a great image of the white Jackrabbit in the snow. I like your framing accentuating the stretch. Excellent exposure, sharp details and fine colours. An amusing image too!
Many thanks and best wishes, Ulla

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1812 W: 29 N: 5246] (17188)
  • [2007-12-30 7:04]

Hi Rick,
Outstanding shot of this Jackrabbit doing some stretching excercises in the morning. Superb morning sunlight and perfect exposure of the whites. Very neat and sharp image and I like the natural surrounding. Excellent POV and composition. Kudos. TFS.
WISHING YOU A PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2008.
Sumon

Hello Rick
Wonderful shot of this White-tailed jack Rabbit,Perfect pose,exposure and BG,
Superb shot.

Good Luck
Fartash

Hello Rick,
Almost like it is imitating a mad cat.
Guess this Jackrabbit is just made for speed. You got one going fast as well?:-)
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1427 W: 128 N: 5252] (23221)
  • [2007-12-30 9:28]

Hahaha ! Great moment of this Rabbit doinf its stretching ! Great exposure on all this white, fine details, well done ! Happy new year !

Mario

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1068 W: 26 N: 3206] (11487)
  • [2007-12-30 11:12]

Hi Rick,
your timing has given you a really great shot here, we can see just how long those legs are! Very well exposed and some lovely detail in his white coat.
The closest we have to these here are Arctic Hares i think, but they are not many in numbers now and barely cling on up in the Scottish Highlands.

Well done and a very Happy New Year to you and yours.
Paul

Gello Rick,
amazing capture of this splendid White-tailed jackrabbit, splendid pose and excellent management of exposure,
excellent post,
cheer and have a fantastic new year
friendly,
Pat

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1911 W: 8 N: 4976] (16095)
  • [2007-12-30 11:57]

Hi Rick,

You caught him in a wonderful position. I see rabbits every day and have never seen one stretching. Never been white, or on snow either.

Jane

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 787 W: 0 N: 1581] (7260)
  • [2007-12-30 13:35]

HI Rick
Very nice capture.Sharp image and excellent details on the white color.Light is capture very well.Excellent note to.
Happy new year and TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2426 W: 63 N: 4002] (12926)
  • [2007-12-30 14:16]

Hi Rick,
Very good exposure control, good details and a nice pose. TFS
best wishes,
Selen

  • Great 
  • Ena Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 359 W: 61 N: 570] (2343)
  • [2007-12-31 4:44]

Hi Rick,
Great shot of a really cute little guy!
Nice composition!
Regards and happy New Year!
Ena

Hi Rick,
This is a very comical capture of the lagomorph leg stretch. A beatiful capture of this white wabbit. TFS. :)

Hi Rick,
Oh my gosh ! How DO you FIND this stuff???? !!
This is sooo stinkin' cute its not funny..:o)
I'm thinking he looks like hes trying to be a landwalker from the star wars trilogy.:o) I love it!
TFS
Donna:o)

Very nice, Rick, not only in the way you've captured the moment, but also the POV that let's us see the eyes, the good detail against the snow, and the highly informative note.

great pic! TFS Ori

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