Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries for Ethna Viney

Chaffinches, sea eagles, swans, minks, cauliflower mushrooms and barnacle geese

Eyes on nature: the barnacle geese, returned from Greenland, that Emer O’Shea photographed
Eyes on nature: the barnacle geese, returned from Greenland, that Emer O’Shea photographed

In early November I watched barnacle geese returning from Greenland to Donegal and Sligo Bay. I noticed that they are aligned almost with military precision.
Emer O'Shea
Ballyshannon, Co Donegal

In early November there were hundreds of one type of bird feasting on a half-hectare wild-bird plot funded by Glas, the green, low-carbon agrienvironment scheme. It's sown with oats and linseed that I planted last May. I see very few other birds there.
David Kelly
Meelick, Co Clare

They were chaffinches, a plentiful resident, but the local birds are joined by flocks from northern Europe in winter.

I saw a particularly large bird of prey gliding around my neighbourhood recently. It had the widest wingspan I have seen. It was yellowish creamy-brown on top and underneath but with much paler outer edges. In flight it had beautifully engineered wing curves. I think it was a hen harrier.
Peter McCloskey
Clogherhead, Co Louth

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It has been identified as probably a juvenile sea eagle visiting from Scotland.

I took a photo in the Phoenix Park of what I thought at first were fallen leaves. Then I looked closer and saw it was a fungus that looked like very pretty faded flowers.
Monica Hall
Blanchardstown, Dublin

It looks like a cauliflower mushroom.

A few weeks ago my daughter photographed a swan being rescued in Slane, Co Meath. A man who said he was a Department of Agriculture official said he would return the swan to the Boyne.
Eamonn Dunne
Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin

The visitor in my photograph popped out from under our deck recently. It was almost tame and called like a cat mewing. It took milk and dog pellets from about a metre.
Stephen Brown
Kilmuckridge, Co Wexford

It looks like a young mink.

Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address