HAS spring sprung? I doubt it. I have heard it said that rabbits and hares look alike but once you have seen a hare you will never again confuse the two.

Hares are much bigger and have black tips to their ears which is not the case with the rabbit.

A further point to make is that hares are native to Britain and have never been a pest. In contrast the rabbit was introduced to Britain and has long been a pest as they eat farmers’ crops.

Adult rabbits weigh between 3lbs and 4.5lbs (1.5 and 2kg) and the head and body together are nearly 16 inches long (40cms).

Breeding occurs between January and August and litters of up to seven bunnies, as the young are called, are produced.

There has been a lot of argument about when rabbits were first introduced into Britain but most think it was the Normans.

They valued the rabbit both for their fur and their flesh. It was known that rabbits live in colonies and at one time they were kept enclosed and looked after by a man called a Warrener which is the origin of the surname.

By the 18th Century they were a nuisance. The solution, was to eat them and many people still enjoy a rabbit pie or a stew.

The hare can be up to 24 inches (60cms) long and the ears add another four inches (10cm).

They can weigh nearly eight pounds (more than 3.5 kg) and their back legs are much more powerful than the rabbit.

Pregnant females have been found all year but most leverets as the young are called are found mainly in April and May.

In contrast to the rabbit hares are not found in colonies and the young are born in the open.

The Jill, as the female is called, deposits her young singly in a tuft of grass called a form and she tours each of the four leverets to feed them until they can fend for themselves.

The leverets are well camouflaged and seem to have no scent and are safe from predators. This is why if people find a leveret then do not touch it because the mother knows where it is.

During the breeding season hares engage in a boxing display. In fact it is a female giving the male (called the Jack) a good thumping until she is ready to mate. Last year I was lucky enough to see a Jack being given a good hiding by the Jill on the slope of Pendle.

Nature recovers in a colourful way

I LOVE it when I see how wildlife has recovered from the scars of industry.

In Lancashire many of the old textile mill lodges are now havens for wildlife. Another of my favourite locations is the Ball Grove Country Park in Colne which looks as if it has been there for centuries.

Here was once one of the largest tanneries in Europe, set up by John and William Sagar in 1860 and at one time occupying eight acres and worked by 300 men.

Colne Water was used to power machinery and was also needed in the tanning process itself. There were weirs and reservoirs which together provided 100,000 gallons of water each day.

The tannery operated until 1970 when it went bankrupt and in 1974 demolition began. The reservoirs (known as lodges) were retained. The lower lodge is now reserved for anglers whilst the higher lodge is an impressive wetland area and is a delight for naturalists.

I love the reed beds and the occasional male swan plus coot, moorhen and on the day of my visit a little grebe.

The marsh marigolds and yellow iris really do bring colour and I have got to love this site.