There was a cattle egret on the tidal grassland in front of my house on inner Clew Bay. Unlike the little egret it had a heavy bill and yellow throat.
Three little egrets have been seen farther west along the shore.
Kitty O'Malley Harlow, Westport, Co Mayo
Recently I saw the tail-end of a good-sized bird protruding from a narrow, shallow, plant container where it had been partly buried. It was a headless duck. Why did the fox choose such a site for its larder when there was open ground nearby?
Daphne Nesbitt, Dublin 18
Foxes take prey to their den. Birds of prey tear off the head and eat the brain.
My husband found a small dead budgie in our Kildare garden yesterday. It had a ring with the following number on it: Z NW 45 51 723. Do you know where this ring should be returned to?
Frances Callan, Kildare
Perhaps it belonged to a neighbour. Try the Carrigaline and District Budgerigar and Foreign Bird Club at: www.esatclear.ie/~budgie/contact.htm
In mid-February, I cut a double- blossomed sweetpea from last year's plant on a north-east facing wall.
Ann Sulzmann, Foxrock, Dublin 18
Michael Viney welcomes observations to Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo, e-mail viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.