It was a massive surprise when I got to the hide yesterday, there was no falcon on the ledge and I was sure there was going to be. Trying to work out what was going on  is becoming a big frustration, a quandary and a real test of  patience. It was at least a week ago that I suspected that there could be eggs in the nest, then as the week has gone on I have been forced into changing my opinion. All I can say is that there is breeding activity on the nest ledge  and the falcon wouldn't be there – almost constantly – if she isn’t interested in breeding but quite what the state of play is now, well I am mystified.  Two weeks ago the birds were very vociferous with much calling back and forth but now, apart from some clucking calls when the falcon arrives at the nest, they are almost silent.  

As well as this, the tiercel's  part in proceedings has been reduced to a bit part and he is seen and heard  nowhere near as often as he was two weeks – or even a week ago.  When  the falcon was incubating last year,  the tiercel also behaved in this way so I am interpreting his behaviour as positive. The falcon did come to the nest ledge after I had been there 20 minutes though and then she left 35 minutes later, probably to go off to hunt I thought.  During her time on the ledge she sat  loosely in the nest scrape for a while and then stood  next to it for the remainder and like I have said, no tiercel to be seen.  As I wrote this yesterday, the falcon – who had returned after a short while – stood motionless by the nest scrape, which is what she did for 9 hours the day before, I guess there must be a reason she is standing there!