The spring sunshine highlights the intricate detail of the fruiting bodies on this lichen on a twig in our garden. – Michael Cross, Belfast
Xanthoria parietina is a fairly common lichen in Ireland.
I spotted this still living creature on Killiney beach. – Mary Convery, Sandycove, Co Dublin
It’s a hermit crab, which lives in the shells of shellfish – often, as here, in the shell of the common whelk.
I found this crab on Harbour View beach, in Kilbrittain, Co Cork. I grew up by the sea but never saw a crab with a tail and long feelers like this. – Julie Doyle Daly, Ballinadee, Co Cork
This is a masked crab, a female, as the male has one much longer claw.
I saw this beauty on the lake in Bushy Park but no sign of a female. Do they breed in Ireland or where would he have come from? – Patrick Fitzgerald, Terenure, Dublin 6W
Mandarin ducks have been established on the Dodder for more than a decade. They came originally from China and escaped from domestic collections.
I found this fusion of a mussel shell and an oyster shell on Dollymount Strand. Is this unusual? – Claire Wilde, Dublin 3
Yes, it is unusual, a puzzle to solve.
I had no sooner cleaned out and rehung the nest box when a lodger, a blue tit, arrived and spent every night in it. – Frank Curran, Leixlip, Co Kildare
While walking in St Enda's Park I met this friendly squirrel, who thought he had bagged a tasty mouthful.– Brian Swan, Churchtown, Dublin 14
We have a water rail family nesting in our garden. Every year they come out to eat frog spawn from the pond outside our window. – Colm de Bhaldraithe, Oileán Mhúinse, Co na Gaillimhe
Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.
