Eye on nature

On Bandon golf course lately I noticed a tiny bird picking insects at the foot of a tree. It was dark-brown with a mixture of red and yellow on its back. It seemed round in shape with no tail, and appeared to be smaller than a golf ball.

M Murphy, Waterfall, Cork It was a male goldcrest, Ireland's smallest bird. It has a small tail.

On February 6th, I found the remains of a freshly laid egg of a collared dove at the end of my garden. I had spotted a male dove courting a female in the garden the day before. can collared doves breed all year round? Kieran Fitzpatrick, Greystones, Co Wicklow

It seems early for egg-laying. Collared doves can have two or three broods in the year.

On the question of tame robins (Another Life, February 10th), I trained a robin to eat out of my hand and the hand of anyone who came into my garden. But that was not all. I had used dried currants to train the robin. While reading the paper I transferred them to my lips, and to my surprise the robin flew over the paper and hovering took them one at a time. Having learned that idea he repeated it with anyone brave enough to allow him to do it.

Tom McElderry, Ballymoney, Co Antrim

Eye on Nature is edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. e-mail: viney@anu.ie. Observations sent by e-mail should be accompanied by postal address.