While walking around the spit on Grattan Road, Salthill on December 1st I passed a spot where the Corporation had dumped sand and seaweed cleaned from the beaches. There were lots of birds feeding on insects, presumably, and among them a young swallow (lacking tail streamers). - Brendan Dunne, Salthill, Galway
Occasionally fledglings from a late hatching remain after the main flocks of swallow migrate south. They may leave in October or into November to follow the others; or they may succumb to predators or perish when insects become scarce. Over the years there have been a few reports of single swallows in December and even January.
I have been feeding the birds for a couple of months, but this year there seems to be a big increase in the numbers at the bird table. How can I keep up this feeding - please suggest an alternative to nuts. - Annette Ballantyne, Sligo
Oatmeal, cooked potato, uncooked pastry, kitchen scraps such as stale cake, cheese, melon seeds, wholemeal bread moistened. Bread alone is not a balanced diet for birds, and they should not be given highly seasoned or salty food. Here is a recipe for a bird pudding: Collect seeds, nuts, oatmeal and kitchen scraps in a container and pour hot fat over them (500g of mixture to 250g of melted fat). Leave to set. Next year you can collect weed seeds from the hedges.