Skylarking

Soon after midday Helena went with her friend Gail to Miserden to go on a walk to  explore the lake they’d be told about. The weather had brightened with scudding clouds and a blue sky, and  a cold wind. I needed to buy some special cat food, some that Bomble likes, from a shop in Nailsworth so it was an ideal chance to stop off on Minchinhampton Common on the way home.

I parked near Tom Long’s Post so I could look for skylarks. As usual on a weekend it was quite busy with dog walkers, kite fliers, golfers and groups of mostly lads kicking footballs, reasonably well spaced apart.

As soon as I opened the car door, I saw the first skylark just a short distance in front of me. The short grass means they are easily seen on the ground, but unusually there was no sound of any of them singing. I walked towards the bird and then saw another quite close by but then some other people came past and scared them away.

I walked across the common and soon began to see a few birds in different places around me. Some took off and started singing but only for a short bursts. I watched one descend and land some distance a way and then slowly walked towards it. As I approached it flew away but I saw another skylark nearby and focused on it. Then I saw a second bird close by, and realised that with their different colourings they might be a pair.

I edged closer and I was able to get to within ten yards while they both pecked in the grass. They seemed happy for me to be standing close by. Then the male began to change its posture and the female squatted down close to the grass as if the male might be displaying. I watched and followed them for about twenty minutes and felt very privileged.