I spotted a hatch of small jelly-like creatures swimming around in the marina at Dún Laoghaire. The largest were about 20mm x 20mm, the body 6mm in diameter. Chris Wood of Seasearch in the UK has identified it as a sea slug, Akera bullata. Its mantle can be used as swimming wings. When at rest the wings cover the shell.
Cormac Lowth, Tallaght, Dublin 24
It can reach up to 60mm in length and is on record as being present around our shores in shallow water over sand.
At the end of May in Roundstone we were bombarded with flying beetles. They had a hard metallic shell.
Carla Walsh, Foxrock, Dublin 18
They were either cockchafers, also called May-bugs, or summer chafers.
Twice a female blackbird hopped around the lawn near me. I thought she was being friendly as a reward for months of winter feeding. Then I realised she doesn’t think I’m St Francis, she thinks I’m Attila the Nest Wrecker and is luring me away from her nest in the shrubs.
Michael O’Malley, Lucan, Co Dublin
Cuckoo calling all day from early dawn since mid-May.
Brian Nolan, Barna, Co Galway
Michael Viney welcomes observations at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo. E-mail: viney@anu.ie. Include a postal address.