Eye on Nature

A female chaffinch had flown into a window and died. Later, another chaffinch flew down on top of it and jabbed at its neck, and later pecked around the gravel near the dead one. Might they have recently mated, and was he finding it hard to come to terms with his sudden loss?
Frank Golden
Bellharbour, Co Clare

Whether birds have emotions is controversial. Chaffinches can remain monogamous from one year to the next, which suggests a bond between them. And pecking near the dead one could be a displacement activity caused by stress.

On March 11th I witnessed two identical flights of whooper swans flying northeastwards from Lough Conn and Crossmolina. The first contained 16 birds and the second seven. They were majestic to behold in the clear-blue sunlit skies.
John Cosgrove
Crossmolina, Co Mayo

The whoopers were beginning to migrate to their breeding grounds in Iceland.

Two greater-spotted woodpeckers were heard drumming in Belvoir Forest, Belfast.
Simon Doran
Bofeenaun, Co Mayo

Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo, or by e mail at viney@ anu.ie. Please i nclude a postal address