Michael Viney responds to your queries and observations on nature.
An unusual bird has arrived near my house. Its call is like a high-pitched bleating and it flies in very fast circles about 100 feet up. It is larger than a swallow and brown. I only ever see one of these birds at a time.
Janet Cavanagh, Kilfenora, Co Clare.
It was the drumming of a snipe in the breeding season, a non-vocal sound made by the male as part of territorial and mating display. He rises about 100 metres into the air and dives at an angle of 45 degrees, with his tail feathers spread out. The sound is caused by the wind vibrating through these feathers.
Recently, I noticed what looked like a spillage of oil where I park my car. An inspection showed it to be made up of thousands of tiny, dark-purple insects each less then one millimetre long. They jumped and seemed to cover (relatively speaking) an enormous distance - a bit like a flea.
John Connolly, Ballynahinch, Co Down.
They sound like a species of springtail - tiny, wingless insects. One species normally lives in leaf litter, but they may have been feeding on a patch of algae.
Edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. E-mail: viney@anu.ie. Observations should be accompanied by postal address.