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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Everyone knows how Joseph of Arimethea came to Glastonbury and planted his staff on Wearyall Hill, how it took root and grew to be a mighty thorn tree. It’s said that cuttings from this tree marked out the pilgrimage route to Glastonbury. One of those was at Forde Abbey, now a stately home. So well-known was the tree that a village grew around it named after the tree: Thorncombe. Some say that one of the men of the house found the money to marry by finding treasure under the tree. Sadly, the tree died early in the 20th century. A fine bench was made from its trunk. The tree on Wearyall Hill is gone, too, but thorn trees from its branches live on.
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!