Yesterday, I experienced an astoundingly beautiful and moving display by a number of skylarks simultaneously. I had no idea we had skylarks just a few hundred metres from our home, and I feel so privileged for having seen them just once, let alone being able to see them every day if I wish.

I knew the song as soon as I heard it, but to my surprise, through the blustery wind, not one but a few songs pierced through, sharp and clear, trilling as if playing a classical sonata. As my eyes strained to see the birds in the encroaching dusk, I realised that as well as the flock of starlings moving about the loosely planted corn field, there were surely at least a dozen skylarks, many of them singing, others fluttering briefly vertically up only to land a short distance away.

If I were a bird, I would like to be a skylark, to sing their rich song but also to be able to flutter so gracefully up, up, and even further up! They must have a good view of their world from up there.

I watched the many skylarks for some time. It was hard to drag myself away. I guess they are thriving there because the farmer has leftvsome parts of his field to scrub land, thick mature hedgerow, and banks. I can't wait to see more of the skylarks, and the other creatures which must be just round the hedgerow. My next challenge is to try and get some footage of the skylarks...