Blithe Spirit
The title of Noël Coward's play Blithe Spirit was taken from Shelley's poem "To a Skylark" and refers to the bird being lighthearted, cheerful and carefree. I'm sure that Shelley called the Skylark blithe spirit because it can sing non-stop for hours at a time. They usually sing while hovering over meadows but this one was singing from a wall next to a meadow. He has his crest raised and I must admit that I had not noticed the white collar sandwiched between the buff cheeks and breast. You can also see the long, straight hind-claw which apparently facilitates walking through grass, a feature it shares with Meadow Pipit. Its scientific name Alauda arvensis translates as lark of the field. I posted a juvenile Skylark recently with patterned feathers: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/54582450471/in/dateposted but this is a plain-plumaged adult taken two days ago not far from home.
Blithe Spirit
The title of Noël Coward's play Blithe Spirit was taken from Shelley's poem "To a Skylark" and refers to the bird being lighthearted, cheerful and carefree. I'm sure that Shelley called the Skylark blithe spirit because it can sing non-stop for hours at a time. They usually sing while hovering over meadows but this one was singing from a wall next to a meadow. He has his crest raised and I must admit that I had not noticed the white collar sandwiched between the buff cheeks and breast. You can also see the long, straight hind-claw which apparently facilitates walking through grass, a feature it shares with Meadow Pipit. Its scientific name Alauda arvensis translates as lark of the field. I posted a juvenile Skylark recently with patterned feathers: www.flickr.com/photos/timmelling/54582450471/in/dateposted but this is a plain-plumaged adult taken two days ago not far from home.