Michael Viney answers your queries and observations on nature.
We have about 24 brent geese that feed along our shore. One group of about eight or nine doesn't seem to like the others and consistently chase them from their area of the beach. Is this normal behaviour?
Rhoda Twombly, Inishlyre, Co Mayo
Brent geese will get aggressive to each other when food gets scarce especially towards the end of their season here. They will soon leave for northern climes.
A small hawk was feeding on a pigeon for at least an hour recently at the end of my garden. It arrived back twice the following day to finish off the carcass.
Phil Brophy, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14
It was more than likely a sparrowhawk and the pigeon was too heavy to carry off.
Recently on a cold dry morning as I walked along the avenue I encountered numerous small worms crawling away from the grassy area on to the tarmac, and thus continued on the main roadway for about half a mile.
JJ Doran, Derry city
Perhaps the local authorities had sprayed selective weedkiller on the verges. Or, in certain conditions, it is thought the magnetic field of buried pipes can affect worms.