A jaw bone was washed up on the beach. Can you identify it? Readers’ nature queries

This jaw bone was washed up on the beach at Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry. It had two cone-shaped teeth at the tip.
Gearóid Mathews, Cahirciveen, Co Kerry
It's the jaw bone of a Cuvier's beaked whale. Irish Whale and Dolphin Group says there was a dead one there recently.

I found this common lizard (roadkill) in mid-March, by a riverside in an area that is mostly bog on the east-Mayo/Sligo border.
Tom Hunt, Carracastle, Co Mayo
This was a smooth newt that met its fate on the way to a pond to mate.

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A male blackcap.

We found a nest of these little lizards under a rock at the bottom of our garden. They look like babies, about 3ins long but also seem to be hibernating. This is an underside photo.
Orla O'Sullivan Clontarf, Dublin 3.
These also were newts and if they were juveniles they take up to three years to mature.

My six-year-old daughter, Eithne, discovered this little dead bird on the road and would like to identify it.
Helen Corcoran, Macroom, Co Cork
It was a male blackcap, a warbler with a very rich, melodic song.

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What is this large black water bird which I saw on a rock in the middle of the village lake in Aughrim, Co Wicklow?
Brenda Dowling, Castlemacadam, Co Wicklow.
It's a cormorant.

This is my first butterfly this year, a small tortoiseshell, here on the bank of the Tolka, on March 24th.
Liam Kane, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

This heron has been visiting my sister's garden in Crumlin, about 2km from the Grand Canal for about a year. She buys fish fingers for him.
Valerie Byrne, Goatstown, Dublin 14.

Michael Kavanagh and Gill from Dublin, both sent photos of false widow spiders which seem to be emerging at this time.

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.