Eye On Nature

Recently when driving on the Portlaoise bypass, I saw a bird of prey hovering and then it turned from the road and I saw the underside clearly for an instant. It seemed luminous white in the sun's glare, bordered by a thick, black, unbroken line on the wings and tail. At first I thought it was a kestrel.

Teresa Doran, Clontarf, Dublin, 3.

It probably was a kestrel.

I found two dead birds on Mornington strand, an adult and a young black-backed gull, that had been shot. The adult had a metal ring stamped with instructions to inform the BTO, at the British Museum. Why was it ringed and what do they learn from the reports? Should I send the ring or just give them the details?

Florence Shields, Mornington, Co Meath.

The British Trust for Ornithology rings birds to monitor their movements and migration pat- terns, among other things. It is sufficient to send them the details.

Two magpies were in confrontation with an adult rat on the Grand Canal near Harold's Cross, Dublin. The magpies taunted the rat, hopping towards it and calling. When the rat lunged they retreated. This continued for some time until the rat retreated. Would magpies prey on an adult rat, or was the rat defending young?

Roddy Peavoy, teachingmag@iol.ie.

The rat was most likely defending young.

Until recently we enjoyed a variety of small songbirds at our birdtable but they seem to have disappeared and now there are only pigeons and magpies. Is there any way we can discourage the large birds and entice the small birds back?

Bill Armstrong, Churchtown, Dublin, 14.

Most small birds that feed on nuts and grain in the winter, switch to insects to feed their young in spring and summer. But if your bird table is open to large birds you could surround it with net wire to keep them out.

Edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. E-mail viney@anu.ie. Observations sent by e-mail should be accompanied by postal address as location is sometimes important to identification or behaviour.