Birds of a feather

Sir, – Arthur Boland (May 17th) comments on the lack of ducklings or moorhen chicks on the lake in St Stephen's Green this spring.

I suspect the reason for this is the hordes of herring gulls and great black backed gulls that infest the lake at this time of year and compete with each other for an easy snack the second a duckling appears.

It is like a fast-food restaurant for the gulls and, while they are waiting for the next tasty morsel to arrive, they happily eat the bread intended for the poor ducklings’ parents!

Is there anything that can be done to give the ducklings a fighting chance? – Yours, etc,

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JOHN LOMBARD,

Friarsland Road,

Goatstown,

Dublin 14.

Sir, – Arthur Boland notes the absence of ducklings and moorhen chicks in St Stephen’s Green, and yet no shortage of young blackbirds. This would seem to indicate the presence of a predator of ground-nesting birds. A mink in residence perhaps? – Yours, etc,

RICHARD GELLETLIE,

Blainroe Upper,

Blainroe,

Co Wicklow.

Sir, – On many occasions I have seen well-intentioned members of the public feeding the swans, ducks and seagulls at the pond at St Stephen’s Green. However, I fear dispensing large sliced pans to the feathered friends does more harm than good. Perhaps all the chicks have sunk under the weight of that dough. – Yours, etc,

RAY BARROR,

Broughills,

Hollywood,Co Wicklow.