On 10/11/05 19:35, in article
, "Sue"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
If you leave a goodish sized patch of rough grass you might attract
larks, too. I've had those in one garden and the long grass patch wasn't
exactly huge. That's another species that seems to be almost rare now -
we sometimes walk the dogs on Dartmoor up at the Commandment Stones and
my husband remembers hearing many larks at a time up there but I have yet
to hear one. He's been living here since 1981.

We do leave grass in the bottom third or so to grow all summer, then cut it
in September. I'd be thrilled to have skylarks but sadly they also seem to
have deserted us now (in Norfolk). When we moved to our present home, 25
years ago, we used to hear them singing every summer as they hovered over
the cornfield at the back. Also Song Thrushes - only see the odd one now
and again, whereas we regularly used to have them nesting in the garden.

We get no skylarks here but when I lived in Jersey a garden I had many years
ago had the long grass patch I describe. It wasn't very big but to our
delight and astonishment, was big enough for a skylark. Cling to hope!
Judith lives in your area so may be able to tell us if skylarks visit her.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)