Readers' observations of nature
At 2pm on a sunny afternoon a bat began circling the garden, feeding on insects. A hawk swooped out from the side of the house, hit the bat and vanished into trees in seconds. It was unusual to see a bat feeding in daylight.
Ned Cusack, Moycullen, Co Galway
Bats sometimes come out in daytime if they are hungry. They are breeding at present and need plenty of food. That one was unlucky to encounter a sparrowhawk. Bats feed at night to avoid predators.
Recently I noticed four small grey squirrels clambering over a cotoneaster that grows against the front of the house. They spent five hours devouring the flower buds.
Daphne Nesbitt, Leopardstown Road, Dublin 18
On the nights of May 2nd and 3rd we heard the call of a male corncrake on Oyster Island, off Rosses Point.
Shaun and Ethne Connor, Rosses Point, Co Sligo
Near Glengariff, I saw 55 specimens of the Kerry slug within one mile.
Daniel Cronin, Cork