I observed three Eastern Cottontails at a nearby park. As I approached with my camera one of the Cottontails fled. He sped away from me running across about 50 yards of short grass. His escape route was curious because it took him directly toward a lady watering her front yard with a garden hose.
The rabbit came within 10 feet of the lady before he noticed her. After becoming alerted to her presence the Cottontail stopped abruptly and paused for a moment, not sure how to proceed. Finally, he dashed off in a direction perpendicular to his original escape route, and came to rest about 25 yards away. Evidently, Cottontails do not have great situational awareness while fleeing.
