Eye on Nature

For the third Christmas a single snow bunting arrived on December 5th to feed with the chaffinches in our garden.

Anne McKay

Skerries, Co Dublin

Our resident robin has taken to seeing off any similar-sized visitors to the feeders. It draws the line at anything bigger. In previous years robins have been more amenable to dunnock, tit and sparrow than this red-breasted bully.

Jim Callan

Tallaght, Dublin

A pine marten was spotted in snow on the top of Corrán Tuathail on December 5th. Is this unusual? Unfortunately the top of the mountain can be like a rubbish tip, with lots of food discarded by hikers almost every day of the year. I recently heard of a pygmy shrew living in the small shelter at the very top of the mountain.

Mick Moore

Killorglin, Co Kerry

Pine martens will eat berries, fruits, small mammals, invertebrates, birds and amphibians, and also raid rubbish bins.

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