Eye on Nature

Your notes and queries

A little egret seems to be living on the River Poddle beside where I live. It makes a nice change from the herons.
Eamonn Aspell
Templeogue, Dublin

I found a turtle in dunes near Murvagh Beach. It was decomposed, and the legs were missing. It was about 40cm long.
Beate Karl
Bridgetown, Co Donegal

From your photograph, the number of plates, or scutes, on its shell means it could be a Kemp's Ridley turtle from the Gulf of Mexico. One was washed up on Rossnowlagh beach on Christmas Day.

A large owl sat for quite a while on our wall; he got a lot of hassle from other birds. Could he have been injured?
Geoff Radcliffe
Stillorgan, Co Dublin

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It is more probable it was being hassled as it was a predator stalking small birds.

I've been watching a pair of wrens hop around the grass as if looking for something to eat. What could they find?
Niamh Neumann
Newcastle, Co Wicklow

Small insects and larvae.

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address

Michael Viney

Michael Viney

The late Michael Viney was an Times contributor, broadcaster, film-maker and natural-history author