THIS week I have been concentrating on the problems faced by two species of bird in East Lancashire.

Both the tawny owl and the lapwing face problems on a national scale.

Derrick Jackson, of Haslingden Road, Blackburn, highlighted the problems of the lapwing when he wrote "For the past few years I have observed peewits (lapwings).

"One day the eggs are there and the next they have gone.

"They now have eggs and I am hoping they will hatch and I can see the young."

The lapwing is also known as the tuit which is a fairly good description of the sound they make on their feeding and breeding grounds.

The scientific name is Vanellus Vanellus. This comes from the Latin name meaning a fan.

When the bird is displaying it fans its wings.

The lapwing is a member of the plover family. This name comes from the French word for rain.

This year there has been so much rain that lapwings are in their element.

They feed largely one earthworms and other invertebrates which live in the soil. These creatures get washed out of their burrows when conditions are wet.

The decline in the population of lapwings in Britain has been due to loss of habitat.

Modern farming techniques has resulted in lots of wet fields being drained, ploughed, planted and sprayed with herbicides and insecticides.

If there is any good to come out of the present foot and mouth crisis then it may involve taking a new look at farming techniques.

In recent weeks there has been a more sensible look at the use we make of the countryside, especially the importance of our wildlife.

The best farmers do consider their land and its wildlife but too often large companies involved in agriculture put short-term profit in front of looking after the land.

A new and more caring approach would be of great benefit to birds such as the skylark, the partridge and, of course, the lapwing.