A brilliant sequence of snaps shows two hares fighting while one jack remains composed in a Cambridgeshire airfield.
Andrew Shaw, 62, who saw the fight unfold on the airfield at RAF Wittering in Peterborough, on July 30 believes it was one older hare making sure the kids ‘played nicely’.
Father-of-one Andrew, who works on the airfield as a wildlife controller, said: ‘I think it was one older hare and two younger ones. At first the younger ones started nudging each other then suddenly they were galloping about and leaping.
A brilliant sequence of snaps shows two hares fighting while one jack remains composed in a Cambridgeshire airfield
‘The older one sat there looking like the referee of a boxing match.. It’s like he’s saying “play nicely, children”. The youngsters weren’t really fighting. They were just bounding about. But it really does look like that.
‘It had been really hot and then we’d had some bad storms and this cooler air had just blown in. I think the younger ones were enjoying the relief from the heat. The older one was just looking at them as if they were crazy.
‘To be able to sit and watch something like that – I find it reviving being an old man. And I was lucky enough just to be in the right place at the right time to get the shots.’
The fun shots were captured by Andrew using a Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150-600mm sport lens.
‘The older one sat there looking like the referee of a boxing match.. It’s like he’s saying “play nicely, children”. The youngsters weren’t really fighting. They were just bounding about. But it really does look like that’ the photographer said
Andrew Shaw, 62, who saw the fight unfold on the airfield at RAF Wittering in Peterborough, on July 30 believes it was one older hare making sure the kids ‘played nicely’
The former pest controller got into photography 40 years ago in a bid to better his job reports at work by adding in before and after pictures.
But after a heart attack ten years ago, Andrew started to think about a change of pace and took up his part-time role at the airfield at the beginning of July.
Being able to take his camera to work and spend his days around wildlife has made Andrew’s health woes ‘melt away’.
Andrew said: ‘I got into photography at first because I wanted to be better than others in the pest control industry but it quickly became a hobby too.
‘I have always loved being outdoors and animals so the next logical step was wildlife photography.
‘Then about three years ago I got burgled. It sounds funny but it was quite fortunate. Not at the time, especially when I realised how much I’d spent on camera gear over the years.
Father-of-one Andrew, who works on the airfield as a wildlife controller, said: ‘I think it was one older hare and two younger ones. At first the younger ones started nudging each other then suddenly they were galloping about and leaping
Andrew, who caught the pictures of the hares said ‘I find photography a release from the general stresses of day-to-day life. It is you pitching yourself against nature to get a shot.’
‘But it was all old and dated so when the insurance money came through I bought better kit and saw my photography really progress. It was a blessing in disguise.
‘I had been suffering some really bad health but since starting this job I’ve felt all my problems melt away.
‘There are times when the planes aren’t flying and I can go out with my camera. It’s great.
‘I find photography a release from the general stresses of day-to-day life. It is you pitching yourself against nature to get a shot.’
The fun shots were captured by Andrew using a Nikon D7200 with a Sigma 150-600mm sport lens