On a recent walk along the tow path beside the River Suir in Co Tipperary, I came across an otter walking along. He stared me and the dog down and would not move. "My patch," he seemed to
say. "Move along."
Nick Ahearne, Clonmel, Co Tipperary. The grey squirrel takes mouthfuls of moss out of my lawn. He then scuttles off up the pine tree. What is he doing? Joseph Clarke, Greenfield Park, Dublin 4.
It was probably a female squirrel using moss to line a nest or dray for her approaching litter.
Recently, I was amazed to see a barn owl flying over Dublin’s rush-hour traffic on the N3 between the Ashtown and Castleknock roundabout. It seemed to be flying towards the Phoenix Park. I have never seen a barn owl in the depths of winter and certainly not in such an urban area.
Helen Butler, Athboy, Co Meath. On Christmas Eve, during a mild spell, I saw my industrious bees carrying in loads of yellow pollen from blossoms of nearby gorse. What is the payback to the gorse for blossoming in mid-winter. Can they set seed at this time of year?
P Finnegan, Cliffoney, Co Sligo. Most seeds will not germinate below 4.5
degrees C. Send observations to Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo
orviney@anu.ie. Include a postal address