We have reached our limit of 15 people for the Longleat field trip on Sat 3rd May. There are only spaces for those of you who have already received an acceptance from Andrew.

​If you can no longer make this trip, please let us know. We can open a waiting list if there are others who'd like to put their names down.

This month we have our last indoor meeting of the season on Thursday April 10th at 7.30pm in the Victoria Hall. Please note the date – unfortunately the incorrect date was published in the April Focus magazine. As usual, the doors (and the bar!) will be open from 7pm. Everyone welcome. Members are free and guests are asked to make a donation of £2.

Our very own Peter Shallcross will be talking about The Black Poplar Conservation Project. Peter is taking part in the project which involves identifying local old poplar trees, sampling, genetic studies and propagation.

​Below is a photo I took a few weeks ago of the information board alongside the footpath between Wick Farm and Hatch which explains the works that have been happening over the winter and include planting of black poplar saplings in our neighbourhood.

​Emma Procter

During the winter months, you could often come across small flocks of skylarks feeding on farmland stubbles. The small snatches of song they uttered as they flew over made it easy to distinguish them from the similar meadow pipit, with its high pitched “cheep” call. With the arrival of spring weather, skylarks are now spreading out, looking for suitable breeding habitat and starting to give voice to their full song,  which so epitomises open country in summer.

The skylark is a little larger than a sparrow but smaller than a starling. It has a small crest, which is most likely to be seen raised when the bird is alarmed. As it flies away or glides back to the ground, the white sides to the tail are a distinctive feature. Its streaky tawny plumage is ideal for camouflage amongst tussocky grass, so it is generally inconspicuous when on the ground. Not so when on a song flight, when the bird can sing for up to an hour and climb to great heights making its presence heard over a wide area.

Skylarks occupy open grassland and fields to avoid predators. Their towering song flights mean they have no need for trees or other perches from which to sing and are numerous on the open downlands of Wiltshire. Although in winter skylarks are strongly associated with stubbles, where they feed on seeds, young chicks are exclusively fed on insects and spiders. These remain an important part of the diet of adults and young throughout the summer, so any decline in the availability of such prey will have an impact on breeding success.

Although easy to find and still widespread throughout the UK, the skylark population has declined by 63% since 1967. This decline was largely caused by the move from spring to winter cereals, as well as by intensified grassland management. However, the latest UK population trend shows a small upturn in this species' fortunes.
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Far less common is the woodlark, a superficially similar species with a noticeably shorter tail. Its distribution is closely tied to areas where wooded heathlands survive. If you want to look for one near here, your best bet is the New Forest.

​Andrew Graham