[squodgy]

I live near the River Kent in Cumbria and recently, on a glorious, still summers day was travelling along the north shore of the main estuary, between Levens Hall & Milnthorpe & stopped to take in the feel...dare I say ambience?
Immediately the near silence enveloped me, punctured only by about 6 trilling skylarks as they twirled in descent to their decoy landing site. Only to rise again and repeat the 5 minute routine.
It was really lovely and took me back to my childhood near Marple just post war....lovely memories.
A week later, on another balmy July day I returned to the North shore of the Kent hoping to have a repeat performance....but no.
All but one of the fields had been mowed for silage, giant tractors, at least four times the size of the old MF's & Fordsons of my youth made easy work of each field, chewing it up in a fraction of the time it took only 20 years ago.
On one as yet uncut field, a solitary Skylark sang away, presumably innocently ignorant of its future, approaching it relentlessly in the distance....then, with a growl, the monster levelled the field, nest, babes etc, ready to produce feed for the insatiable demand of the monsters who made it, and the bottom line that demands it.
Fortunately, I believe the birds would probably be at least on their second brood & maybe even their third, but whatever happened to crop rotation and the custodianship of our countryside for all?
Thanks must go to Heath I guess.