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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Long live the Queen! Hackpen’s white horse dates from 1838 and was cut by Henry Eatwell of Broad Hinton to commemorate Queen Victoria’s coronation. The Marlborough horse is older – cut by school boys in 1804 and scoured every year with due ceremony and revelries by the boys. But is there more going on under the hills? The fairies led a young white deer on a merry dance across the hills and lured musicians under Hackpen Hill to play for them. And the sorcerer Merlin is said to be buried in Marlborough Mound!
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!