On a walk through a wooded area beside Lough Sheelin, we saw two separate pine martens along the path and, in another part of the wood, a larger one. Was it a family out hunting? Denis Liston, Bray, Co Wicklow.
Although weaned by about eight weeks, pine marten kits stay with the mother until autumn, around six months. Afterwards, they are solitary animals.
On a recent drive north I saw four buzzards. On the train to Wexford, I counted 40 little egrets on the Slaney just upstream of Ferrycarrig. But I have not seen any yellowhammers.
Michael Lunt, Sandymount, Dublin 4.
Yellowhammers have declined because of reduction in tillage. They are plentiful now only in the southeast of the country and in east Donegal.
Every morning we see a black rabbit among the dozen or so on our lawn. Is it an escapee? Will it survive the oncoming winter?
Tom Molloy, Animal Rescue, Sallins, Co Kildare.
While uncommon black rabbits do occur in the wild, they are more visible to predators.