My Winter Challenge: The Elusive Arctic Hare
When I first fell for wildlife photography, I naively thought I’d be snapping majestic beasts like stags or foxes. Reality, of course, served me birds—lots and lots of birds. Don’t get me wrong, I love birds. But somewhere in the back of my mind, the idea of photographing a winter hare had firmly lodged itself.
Back in the North East of Scotland, mountain hares roam the surrounding hills like furry ghosts, blending perfectly with their snowy surroundings. And yet, despite having them practically on my doorstep, I never quite got round to heading out with the camera. It was always “next time” or “I’ll go when the weather clears,” but we all know how Scottish weather works.
Fast forward to life on the Faroe Islands (yes, I live here now—still not over it), and I discovered they’ve got something even cooler: the Arctic hare. Imagine my delight when I found out there’s a spot not far from where I live where these fluffy critters hang out! Yes, they’re considered pests here, but what’s a little pest status between photographers and their subjects?
A couple of weeks ago, while out with a group of photographers, I had my first near-encounter. It was an unseasonably warm day for November—10°C—and as we ambled along, something white streaked across the landscape like a tiny, caffeinated yeti. Without thinking, I grabbed my Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens and bolted, channelling my inner Steve Backshall (minus the strong body and good looks, he’s one of my man crushes).
I hunkered down, crawling and clambering over the landscape like a wannabe sniper. To my surprise, I managed to get closer than expected and even managed to fire off a couple of frames. Then, with one swift move, the hare darted off, vanishing as if it had leapt straight into the sea. My heart stopped for a second. Had I just witnessed an Arctic hare auditioning for “Free Willy”?
Upon closer inspection (and from a much safer distance), I realised it had simply disappeared onto a lower section of land, cleverly tucked out of view. There’s even a burrow down there. No harm done, except to my ego when I realized my “stealth” probably gave the hare a good laugh.
So, this marks the beginning of my Arctic hare challenge. I’m determined to capture these beautiful creatures (photographically, of course, not literally). They’re fast, they’re clever, and they blend in ridiculously well when it snows. But I’m ready for the chase—and a few more hare-related heart attacks along the way.
Stay tuned!
