. Earlier in the summer I raised a bird from a little bog edged lake high in the Sperrins. In flight, it showed quite a bit of white, but on the ground it was mainly brown with some lighter streaking. It was about twice the size of a wagtail and it walked with frequent crouches of the head and body. The nearest I came to identification was a sandpiper but I have always assumed it was a shore dweller. What do you think?
Willie O'Kane, Maghera, Co Derry
It probably was a sandpiper. They frequent mountain lakes.
. Early in July I spotted a single, yellow beaked swan among the huge throng of mute swans at the Claddagh, Galway. I have since identified it as a whooper swan, but aren't they winter visitors only? I've looked for it again but it seems to have departed. It seemed very happy amount the mutes. Do they interbreed? Are they very much rarer than the mutes? Are Bewicks even rarer?
Linda Keohazne, Henry Street, Galway
Whooper swans have been known to remain here over the summer when the others have flown back to Iceland, and there has been at least one report of them breeding here. hooper and mute swans do not interbreed. Neither whooper nor Bewick suans are rare here as visitors, but they may not visit all parts of the country.