[singlepic id=67 w=320 h=240 float=right]We have already reported in our earlier posts that site 7 has been one of a number of nesting sites subjected to persistent persecution and interference over the last two decades in the Forest of Bowland. In the last 10 seasons, despite eggs being laid at site 7 each year, only 3 young have managed to fledged successfully. We regret to report once again the two eggs contained in this years nest, although still being incubated, it is now 16 days after the clutch should have hatched. After field workers examined the two eggs this week, large dead embryos were found in each of the two un-hatched eggs. This situation is par for the course, seven of the ten clutches known to have been laid between 2000 and 2009 at site 7 have not managed to hatch even a single egg. You might ask what is being done! Although the circumstances surrounding the failure of this together with additional peregrine nesting sites on private estates in Bowland have been brought to the attention of the Wildlife Officer for Lancashire, we are told he is far too busy dealing with a multitude of more important duties.
It has always been difficult, if not impossible, to determine the reason field workers are finding so many dead embryos in eggs which fail to hatch at nesting sites in the Forest of Bowland. The egg shells are not being pricked with a needle as we had suspected, nor are the eggs being shaken, an old method used by gamekeepers to kill the developing embryo inside the shell. We have just received information from a reliable source suggesting that [Censored by admin: let's not give anyone any ideas!] is a foolproof method being adopted leaving no trace of any evidence.
