Known for their spring song as they soar high into the sky, skylarks just say ‘spring’ and have captivated many a poet, from William Wordsworth to Ted Hughes
Look for: A small, light brown bird, streaked with darker brown and a dark brown tail with a white side tail and white undercarriage. They also have a crest that stands up when they are excited.
Spot them: In open fields and grassland, and nesting on the ground between April and August.
Listen for: A fast, chirruping ‘Preet, preet, preet’ sound. Skylarks are also excellent mimics so you may hear them making a noise reminiscent of other farmland birds and waders.
We visit the Simple Things bird hide each month on our Almanac pages, where we also have lots more seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe