During the warm weather the brick edge to our garden pool is being used for sunbathing by about 11 frogs. The main group lies in a huddle – even on top of each other. They allow me to stroke them and once, while I was doing this, one left the main group, tentatively hopped over and snapped at my finger. Bob Quinn, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Paddling along the west shore of Lough Swilly at Rathmullen, I came across floating “sacks” of clear jelly the size and shape of a sausage and anchored to the sand at one end. I also saw creatures which, on the sand, rolled up like a hedgehog but, in the water, unrolled to some six by two inches. The underside seemed to have many legs and the topside was covered with coarse hairs which glistened with a fiery iridescence.
Mike Young, Carrigfergus, Co Antrim
The jelly-like animals sound like sea squirts, one of the tunicates, probably Cliona intestinalis. The second one was a sea mouse, Aphrodite aculeate, a marine bristle worm.
Three juvenile jays have arrived at our nut feeder. Two cling to it and pick out the nuts, the third hoovers up the fragments on the ground.
Michael O’Brien, Carrigart, Co Donegal
Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. E-mail : viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.