I spotted a kestrel being buzzed by three house martins over a field well away from the house martins' nests. They eventually saw it off. As far as I could see, it was not a competitor or a predator of the house martins. - Paul Lennon, Banbridge, Co Down
The house martins were probably protecting fledglings from the kestrel.
We think we saw a wood warbler in our garden. We checked in a bird guide and it was the only bird that had the same bright yellow chest, white underparts and brownish wings.- Isaac Brown Goodbody, Harold's Cross, Dublin
It could have been a wood warbler. They are rare summer and breeding visitors but some are found in the east of the country, particularly in the Wicklow area.
I am growing cabbages in my garden and have a slug problem. I use chemical slug killer and the birds are almost certainly eating the dead slugs. Is there definite evidence that the chemicals are killing the birds?- Tom Ryan, Waterford
The Organic Centre has Ferramol slug pellets which are harmless to wildlife (www.theorganic centre.ie).
Update on Newbridge hedgehog (Eye August 8th): we now have two baby hedgehogs and the mammy in our garden. - Paul and Marie Gallagher, Newbridge, Co Kildare