Thursday 22 May 2008

Tits, Peckers and Nuts

I watched two rabbits yesterday evening which were so engrossed in some curious ritual behaviour that they were oblivious to me a few feet away. They would lollop along for several paces, then turn and crouch, facing each other with their noses almost touching, and stay like that for ten seconds or so, before repeating the whole exercise. This didn't quite fit with usual rabbit mating behaviour, which involves a degree of breathless chasing and resting, before the male stops a few yards away and squirts a jet of wee over the object of his desires. Apparently the female's reaction to this varies; she either shows complete indifference or takes flight and scampers off.

This is not a pulling technique I ever tried. I'm fairly confident, though, that it would have triggered the 'flight and scamper' response, like most of my other chat-up attempts.

I didn't have my camera with me and anyway, depending on what the rabbits had in mind, snapping them might have seemed prurient. Instead, here is a picture, also taken last night, of our local woodpecker looking for nuts. The unattractive metal post is intended to deter rats (they still manage to climb up); the string to deter crows, which otherwise fly off with the entire feeder. Any suggestions as to what the tit is saying are welcome.

8 comments:

  1. I don't see the appeal in it myself, but I understand some people pay handsomely for just such a curious mating ritual.

    Takes all sorts. Sadly.

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  2. People are strange. I'd pay quite a lot not to.

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  3. That's quite sweet the rabbits are rubbing noses instead of showering pee on each other. Good for them.

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  4. Sounds like the rabbits were just indulging in a bit of foreplay. Sometimes we ladies like to rub noses before we are peed on.

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  5. Tit: "Geroff me nuts".

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  6. Thought of a bird:

    Wassat Tit looking at? Wata Twit..
    Wassat Pekker nutter doing? Twat..

    Who'd not go "rabbits" in the meadows for a bit of rolling fun!!! Getting pee-ed on? Let's hope it stems from frivolous excitement and not incurable incontinence tendencies...

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  7. Rabbits, sex and nuts always get lots of comments. Loved your post. Debs x

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  8. Marianne - They were rather sweet. A lot cuter than when they're eating our shrubs.

    GiM - Where were you when I needed sound advice like this? You should offer regular etiquette tips.

    Mr Wibble - You win the home award. (I'm sure you'd have won it even if you hadn't been the only European entry).

    Foofy - You win the award for the Dark Continent (there's a continence joke lurking there somewhere, but it eludes me).

    Debs - Thank you. I shall pay you a visit.

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