Eye on Nature

On the weekend of the perigee moon in early August, between Donegal town and Stranorlar, I saw a colourless rainbow at 11pm in the northwestern sky.
Lucy Gordon
Stranorlar, Co Donegal

A coloured rainbow is produced by sunlight passing through droplets of water splitting the light into its component colours. A moonbow is similar, but the light source is the moon and therefore colourless, and the best examples are at full moon.

I am delighted to report a steady increase since the 1970s in the corncrake population on Inishbofin, Co Galway. At the beginning of August I saw this shy bird ward off starlings and stonechats from a gathering of flying ants on rocks beside brambles.
Eoin Roddy
Hollywood, Co Wicklow

I saw a lady setting out bread for birds at the Royal Canal at Dorset Street bridge. We know that dry bread is not recommended for birds, as it expands in their crops. One of the birds was a wily heron that dropped the pieces of bread in the water and fished them out, or dipped the bread in its beak into the water, before swallowing.
Martin Crotty
Blackrock, Co Louth

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