A red-legged partridge has been seen around here for the past couple of months. It does not seem to be able to fly very well, and flaps its wings to get on a bank or fence. It is semi-tame, will feed out of the hand, so we think it is an escape from the hatchery of a gun club. We feed it with wild bird seed, but what would be its diet in the wild?
D. Freeman, Gorey, Co Wexford
The bird may have had an earlier injury which hampers its flight. Partridges normally feed on a variety of seeds, grain, fruit and leaves; they will also take small insects and even slugs and worms.
Three years ago our young oak tree had its first crop of acorns. Last year - nil. This year it has a good crop of nuts, round and the same colour as acorns but no sign of any of the latter. Penny Kiely, Sarsfield Road, Dublin, 10
Oaks, like beeches, do not produce their fruits every year. They take time to recover from the effort of cropping. The "nuts" you see this year are oak galls caused by the gall wasp. Inside each one is an egg which hatches out in early spring.