Observations from readers
A bird has arrived in our townland which sounds very like a cricket or cicada. It's very loud and active in the evening and after dark, and is small and brown/olive green, though no obvious markings.Shane Forsythe, Claddaghduff, Co Galway
It is a grasshopper warbler.
I watched a cloud of small flies floating over a stream, with most individuals at or near the centre, and fewer at the ends. The flies hovered in the air, ascending and descending through the cloud, and drifting along at the same time until they reached the end. At which point they then streaked at incredible speed, like silver, high-speed tracer bullets back through the middle of the cloud, and resumed floating. David Nolan, Santry, Dublin 9
The flies were males waiting for females to arrive.
The following birds have passed through our garden recently: a turtle dove, four pairs of yellowhammers, a pair of linnets, a female blackcap, a chiffchaff and a homing pigeon. The turtle dove became the 75th variety of wild bird which I have seen, or heard, here in 22 years.Kieran FitzPatrick, Greystones, Co Wicklow
Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo; e-mail: viney@anu.ie Include a postal address.