The sun has disappeared behind the thickening clouds and there is a sharp chilly wind blowing across the quarry lake, that makes its presence felt as soon as you leave the track and climb up the steep bank and onto the quarry edge.

Glancing over towards the overburden tip, where the Lapwings lay their eggs, I can see that the daily battle that they have with the crows and other corvids is continuing.

Four Lapwings take to the air and twisting and turning and darting here and there, first distract and then confront the invaders. But I notice that there are still two at least on the ridge. They do not stay still but walk ten yards away from where they were and then walk back again. I wonder if they have laid a clutch of eggs yet.

Several crows sit in the stunted trees that line the ridge. As I approach, they take off with a lazy disdainful flapping of their wings and fly off down to the open fields where the sheep and lambs are, and the harassers join them, leaving the ridge momentarily peaceful.

The Lapwings turn their attention to me and the dogs and to minimise the disturbance to them, we take the lower route down into a little hawthorn filled valley crisscrossed with tracks and trails and the occasional snuffle hole.

This evening the Lapwings hardly make any noise at all and once they are certain that we pose no threat they return to their chosen nesting site on the exposed ridge.

It seems a hostile place to lay your eggs, but with the numerous little hummocks and its high vantage point, it is ideal for the Lapwings.

Now all they must do is keep the crows at bay.  Not just today but day after day for the next month.