I've been watching the antics of three grey crows that form a small gang hereabouts. Last night, in the near darkness and drizzle, when I was walking by the sea, I saw them in formation pecking their way across a swathe of village greenery because, perhaps, the worms were out.

The Government has decided not to allow hedge-cutting in August saving the lives of thousands of birds.

The country is facing “stark choices” if there is a desire to save endangered species of birds in Ireland, according to a conservation group.

Ireland is an important wintering area for these birds which breed at Arctic latitudes and migrate southwards to spend the winter on estuaries, coastal bays, rivers and lakes.

I LEARNED a lot about pigeons last week thanks to the remarkable belligerence of a sparrow. She took umbrage at a pigeon pecking the pavement near her, a fat, well-groomed pigeon, like most street pigeons here in Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands.

Last week’s column on the impact of modern farming on wildlife brought reaction from a number of readers who also felt the Bride River Project, in east Cork that we mentioned might be a model for others, writes Donal Hickey.

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