Its one of those threads I looked when only the first picture was there, and decided that the picture presented was not enough for a confident ID for me (I got the feeling that a "single picture effect" could point in a wrong direction, and this seems to be proven by the second picture).
I even thought, a Greater Short-toed Lark was possible, they sing during display flights like Skylark. But with the new picture, I agree with a Thekla Lark/Crested Lark.
Crested Lark can do display song flights, allthough not as frequent as Skylark, so I think Thekla does this too?
Reason for the last sentence: Crested Lark is a species, I have seen many times and is a species I see several times in the week over the last few years. And when I am looking at this pictures, I get a very slightly wrong feeling for this bird, that hasnt gone (In other words, I would say it loooks best for a Galerida, but just about 80% Crested Lark.
So my question to more experienced people is (John Cantello or others, please help!): is this a Thekla, that can be identified with a high grade of certainty against Crested, from slight differences, that are visible in these two pictures?