Recently, while walking on Slieve Bawn, I saw a small four-legged animal come out of the forest, cross the trail in front of me and disappear into the long grass. It was black with elongated neck and about 18 inches in height. It had a long tail with the end turned up. - Kenneth Kelly, Strokestown, Co Roscommon.
It was a mink.
In the hills of north Kerry, in April I spotted a large bird of prey soaring over a coniferous plantation. It was quite high and a second bird of the same species soared above it. The wings appeared rounded and feathered at the tips, but as it was in silhouette I could not see the colour of the plumage. What was it likely to be? Secondly, through April and up to May 22nd I saw a pair of Brent geese feeding on Bartra Island at the mouth of the Moy river. I thought they only wintered here. - Diarmuid Callaghan, Ballina, Co Mayo.
As there were two of them, they were possibly hen harriers as they breed in the old red sandstone areas of the southern counties, in young conifer plantations. A survey of hen harriers is in progress but has not yet covered the Kerry area. Brent geese return to their breeding grounds in late May.
Early in May, near Maam Bridge in Connemara, I heard and saw a golden crested wren, as the goldcrest was called in my schooldays, many moons ago. - Mary Hanly, Salthill, Co Galway.
Edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. Email: viney@anu.ie Observations sent by email should be accompanied by postal address as location is sometimes important to identification or behaviour.