THIS is the time of year when pike spawn. They usually travel considerable distances to do so, moving into very shallow water. The males and females travel separately, as the females are much larger and have cannibalistic tendencies.

THE series of winter storms lashing the country, plus the fact I’ve had a cold, meant much of my recent experience of the outdoors has been confined to looking out at it through the window.

I WENT out to feed the hens the other day and was confronted by two rabbits.

GOLDFINCH(Carduelis carduelis)

I HAVE made a number of garden ponds in my life and, because I’m interested in such things, I’ve always kept a close eye on the plants and animals that colonise them.

I’M just back after a short break from the Irish winter which took me to Morocco.

WHERE do birds sleep? A small and simple question that somebody asked me the other day. Unfortunately roosting is rather a complicated subject so there isn’t a small and simple answer.

IF you follow tradition you will take down your Christmas tree today. January 6 is Little Christmas or Women’s Christmas and marks the end of the holiday. This seems to be a uniquely Irish custom. In Norway and Sweden the tradition is to take down the tree on January 13.

THE outdoors haven’t been pleasant for the past couple of weeks, with Atlantic storms and short, dark days. But there are many places worse off.

DOES mistletoe grow in Ireland? A simple question but one with a rather complicated answer.