What the heck is a lek?
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
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King Alfred’s horse! After the great battle at Ethandune where he defeated the Danes, Alfred commissioned a white horse, the symbol of his Saxon forefathers, Hengist and Horsa, to be cut into the hillside. But when it was finished he was furious and had the carver beheaded – because the horse looked to be riding out of town in defeat and not into it in triumph. The current horse dates to about 1778, but it’s still a lively beast. When Bratton’s church clock strikes midnight the horse will trot down to the Bridewell Spring to drink.
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!