Cottontails and jackrabbits

[Maestro]

Over June and July I have been lucky enough to find a few cottontails and jackrabbits comfortable enough to let me photograph them in the wild. The first one I found in Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. The comp is not that great but he moved soon after this so I did not get a another chance to recompose the shot.



This is the shot I took of him just before the one above. The comp is a bit better but I think his face is a bit OOF.



This next cottontail I actually found in my yard! :rofl: He let me approach while he was eating some grass and weeds.



The next pics are of three different jackrabbits I found at the Fossil Rim Nature Reserve. They are completely wild and are native to the reserve. All of the rain we have been having has brought them out to feed non-stop on the plentiful grasses.

The first one here is just cleaning after a rain shower.



He noticed me here.


But didn't seem to care much. Notice the much longer hind legs and ears?


This guy I took by surprise so it just froze in place. When you are oftentimes prey of the many predators around staying still is the first defense. Don't call attention to yourself.


The last jackrabbit was happily feeding near a fenceline and could have cared less about me.




Did you know that jackrabbits used to be called jackass rabbits because the old western pioneers thought the ears reminded them of this guy?

:rofl: Over time the name was shortened to just jackrabbit.