Eye on Nature: Your notes and queries for Ethna Viney

Alerted by a commotion in trees along the bank of the Dodder at Old Bawn, we saw a raven make off with a white egg, much to the annoyance of magpies and hooded crows.
Anne McCluskey
Tallaght, Dublin

All members of the crow family raid each other’s nests if they get the chance.

For the past few weeks I've seen a cormorant with a fully white breast along the Royal Canal. Is it a different species?
Deirdre Wood
Phibsborough, Dublin

It is an immature cormorant, from looking at your photograph.

For years magpies have nested in a nearby sycamore, repairing their nest every year. In March two hooded crows commandeered it; they have worked very hard on it ever since. The magpies harassed the crows at every opportunity. The crows persisted and are now sitting on eggs while the magpies look on forlornly. Is this unusual?
Carmel Lynch
Terenure, Dublin

There is constant competition between magpies and crows for nests, and nest sites, when they occupy territories close to each other. Whichever takes possession first and defends it is the victor.

We're sending you photographs that members of Sheephaven Subaqua Club took on their first dive of the season: one of a spiny starfish eating a scallop; the other of a nudibranch egg string.
Dearn McClintock
Sheephaven SAC, Downings, Co Donegal

The sea-slug egg string is 'Onchidoris bilamellata', which is recorded in the biological records for that area.

Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn, Louisburgh, Co Mayo, F28 F978, or by email at viney@anu.ie. Please include a postal address