EYE ON NATURE

I HAVE had a flock of about 50 wagtails in my garden for more than three weeks. They are generally in one corner, where they roost at night in a griselinia hedge. We see them in the evening time. Is this size of flock unusual?

Tim Morrissey, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford

It is not an unusually big flock in winter. They must have a good source of food nearby.

I watched a heron take a frog in his beak from a neighbour's pond. He dipped his beak and the frog back into the water a number of times before swallowing him. Why did he do this?

Niamh Lennon, Dundrum, Dublin 14

The heron nearly always dips its food several times in the water before eating it.

I noticed three otters swimming along the shoreline near Kilronan pier and they appeared to be playing. Perhaps they were fishing and I wondered just how far from the mainland otters are known to venture. I have seen the occasional lone otter at the Carra salt/fresh lake near Kilronan but never came across a group like this before.

Michael Muldoon, Kilronan, Aran

It was probably a mother teaching cubs how to fish. There must be a family of otters on the island.

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo; e-mail: viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times