Eye on Nature

We saw a bundle of feathers on a road outside Ballindrait, Co Donegal which turned out to be a merlin and a thrush, the former trying to kill the latter but, being the same size, having problems.

A male chaffinch flew in the face of the merlin and that was enough to allow the thrush to escape. Brave chaffinch.

Paddy and Penny Sleeman, Cork

On March 4th, with three friends, I spotted a lone white egret in Co Donegal on the mudflats between Horn Head and Dunfanaghy. Is this the most northerly sighting of this charming immigrant?

Robert Jordan, Drumbeg, Co Down

I have noticed earthworms on the tarmacadam on wet mornings, especially after wet nights. What is in the tar that is attracting them?

Eamonn O'Sullivan, Charleville, Co Cork They leave waterlogged earth to avoid drowning.

I was hiking on March 16th on Ben Gorm, Co Mayo, when we spotted a frozen frog on top the mountain. My colleague pointed out that this was a survival mechanism and it would thaw out and revivify. Is that so?

Chris Noonan

No, the frog will not survive being frozen.

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