Michael Viney answers your queries and observations on nature.
Recently a neighbour saw six large birds of prey circling together over unused farmland/marsh ground.Two days later I saw one large brown bird of prey with a big wingspan and short tail flying in the same area. Could it be a buzzard? It is common to see sparrowhawks and kestrels in the area. I once saw a female hen harrier feed on a kill in my garden. As she had her wings around the kill, I could see the white mark above her tail.
Phil Bateson, Ratoath, Co Meath
It was probably a buzzard.
Could you shed some light on the absence of the ducks from the Grand Canal. In 2005 there was a large population of mallards on the canal between Leeson Street Bridge and Mount Street Bridge, which seemed to breed very successfully from February onwards. This population was high until December/January but lately is reduced to six drakes and one female who does not appear to have bred.
Arthur Prendergast, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16
Perhaps some predator, human or other animal, is responsible.