Making hay

Okay, there has been better Skylark pictures taken!

This morning I was driven by an immovable force to rise out of my bed at 5.45am, despite feeling totally knackered, to check on the pair of Skylarks currently residing at The Scrubs. These birds are more special to me than any vagrant (at this point) and even after seeing a pair of Shoveler (the second ever here) did nothing to dampen the excitement my Skylarks are giving me.

I watched the male in full song flight, semi-song flight, pursuing neighbouring Meadow Pipits and even being pursued by a crow (that it thankfully easily out manoeuvred). Meanwhile, I watched the female quietly fly up only to land closeby, no doubt running the rest of the way to it's nest. I'm going to have to dig out the late, great Eric Simms' 'Pipits and Larks' to learn more about their ecology.

Back home, I finally ran out of patience with my web designer. Everytime I issue him with instructions to update my site I always end up having to ring him two or three times after to get him to correct his sloppy work. The latest of which was to upload an upsidedown picture of a Bell Miner. He's gone on holiday for a couple of weeks. On his return I will be waving goodbye to him.

At 6pm I went to The One Show studios ostensibly to try and meet with tonight's guest Ricky Gervais to ask him to get involved with a wildlife TV programme idea that I have had. Despite all odds and my initial nervousness about the whole plan, I managed to chat with him after the show. He was a nice fella. We discussed the Sparrowhawk that he had had in his garden, at which point I pulled out my phone and played him the call. He was most impressed. Anyway, he asked me to sent my idea to his assistant so that he could look over it. 

Result!

I must categorically state here that Adrian Chiles is a lovely bloke and Christine Bleakley is as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. She is totally down to earth, humble and exactly the same as she was when I first spoke with her, nearly two years ago.

The moral of today's tale: nothing ventured nothing gained (even if what's gained is crap like my Skylark shot!).