Eye on Nature

I saw this very small bright green butterfly on top of one of the hills around Lough Gill in June. Can you identify it? — Mark Malin, Co Sligo

It is a green hairstreak, a tiny butterfly with bright green underwings and a white streak or row of dots towards the outside edge. Its main habitat is wet bogs and wet heaths, laying its eggs on heather.

I found this beautifully coloured feather 5cm long on walk in woods last Sunday. Wondering what bird it belonged to. — Deirdre O’Doherty, Co Wicklow

It is a feather from the wing covert of a jay — an exotic-looking crow with a pinkish brown body, black and blue barred wings and a white rump — which lives in woodlands and announces its presence with a harsh call. Irish jays belong to a distinct subspecies that only occurs in Ireland.

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I spotted this insect in our garden. I thought it was a bee but can’t confirm. Is it related to the hummingbird hawkmoth by any chance? — Sandra Kelleher, Co Leitrim

This is a narrow-bordered bee hawkmoth, so you were nearly right on both counts. It mimics a bumblebee and flies by day but, unlike bees, it does not alight to feed on flowers. It just hovers before them and inserts its long tongue to extract nectar.

I was walking along the Liffey at the stretch where the rowing clubs have their clubhouses and what did I see only a seal? I couldn’t believe it. I thought it might be a dog jumping in the water, and then an otter, but no, it was a seal. I know that grey seals will often swim up the Liffey, but I didn’t think they would go up so far. — Gerry Mullins

It must have been in hot pursuit of a shoal of fish. Seals have been seen up as far as Islandbridge.

Brian Hegarty of Inishowen Wildlife Club took this photo of a young merlin. They saw a family of five on their recent outing in the heart of Inishowen, Co Donegal.

Have you a nature query, observation or photo you would like to share with The Irish Times? Submit it, with location of the image, via our website irishtimes.com/eyeonnature