Damien Enright recalls a strange affair between volunteer and pelican.

ACROSS the stream, in a big field which, unfortunately, fills more full with Japanese knotweed and ragwort every year, we regularly see a man taking his children, a small terrier and a black-and-white cat for a walk.

WHAT a privilege it is to be able to walk the countryside on these dazzling mornings when the storm has passed and see fields shining in the sun, each grass blade sparkling as if it was tipped with diamonds.

Damien Enright on the charms of our winged friends

FOR the weekend birder, the peripatetic birder (the travelling salesman, say) or the twitcher, Finding Birds in Ireland, The Complete Guide, by Dempsey and O’Clery is the book to buy.

A READER writes to say that in Dublin a couple of climatically-disorientated street pigeons, uka (unkindly-known-as) rats-with-wings, recently decided to roost, nest and defecate on staff and visitors above the entrance of her office building.

HUGE excitement among the birding community and more ominous signs of climate change.

LAST week, we received a packet of sliced, dried culinary mushrooms from a Czech girl we know.

Damien Enright on the joys of strolling in the countryside.

DRIVING about our lovely country we couldn’t but notice a high percentage of houses built in the heart of the country in recent decades are out of keeping with their surroundings like a bum note in a symphony.