This month, as part of our Step into Nature campaign, we’re asking for your help to record Skylark sightings. The recent RSPB bird survey highlights that Skylarks—iconic for their melodic song and fluttering aerial displays—thrive in open fields and do not benefit from solar farm developments. Our local landscape provides ideal habitat, and your records can help us challenge the Kingsway Solar proposal and protect this vital environment.
Skylarks are often heard before they’re seen, singing high above grasslands or farmland where they nest. Their brown, streaky plumage blends perfectly into the ground, making them tricky to spot—listening is key. Not sure what they sound like? 🎧 Listen here.
📲 Use the iRecord app to log your skylark sightings.
Submitting records to iRecord is a great way to contribute to wildlife data, but without supporting evidence, even accurate sightings may only be marked as “considered correct.”
📸 Photos can strengthen your record and the more likely your record will be marked as ‘correct’. However, photographing birds like Skylarks is easier said than done!
🎙️Merlin is a useful audio ID app that can back up your bird records with sound. It logs species, location, date and time—and even produces a spectrogram, a visual sound signature that experts can use to verify your ID.
Just be mindful of ‘cropping’ when uploading screenshots via the app, and ensure you capture the moment the species name is highlighted.
Well-documented records are far more likely to be accepted by expert reviewers.
📲 Click here to make the most of iRecord and ensure your sightings count!
Your records will help help support our efforts to challenge Kingsway Solar’s plans
Skylarks are a red-listed bird, meaning they are among the UK’s most endangered species, with significant declines in population and breeding range.
🐦 To learn more about other red-listed and endangered birds, you can find the full list on the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) website.
