Sir, - I refer to the "In Time's Eye" column of June 27th. On Sunday June 25th, I was walking up Convent Avenue in Bray when I saw something dart out of a gateway and under a car. As I drew nearer, it scampered out from beneath the car and straight up a wall - not more than six feet from me. I then clearly saw that it was a red squirrel.
It climbed a tree, and was quite easy to spot. I called for my daughter to come and see, and we both watched as a magpie tried in vain to catch the squirrel, which ran down from the tree, along the wall and then disappeared from our sight - and hopefully from the magpie's as well.
My neighbour later told me how, that same afternoon, a red squirrel had tried to climb in their living room window!
We presume the appearance of this squirrel - or squirrels - is due to building work going on in the convent grounds, and the consequent disruption of habitat. Whatever the reason for the appearance, it brightened up an overcast summer's day. - Yours, etc.,
Sarah Greene, Marie Villas, Convent Avenue, Bray, Co Wicklow.