Yellowhammers
Farmland birds have been declining for many years, some species by as much as 90%. Yellowhammers have been holding on to some traditional breeding areas and we are fortunate some of them are still in our vicinity. But how many?
Working with colleagues from WildMaidenhead, who have included this species among the 20 selected for their Biodiversity Action Plan, we are surveying the 10 Wards of the Maidenhead half of the Borough. We would love to receive sightings you may have in the Cookhams, or any of the other nearby areas. To help you identify them the photograph shows a splendid male, which holds much of its yellow colouration throughout the year. The female, though slightly more drab, is also distinctive.
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For more ID tips, and an example of the song and call of Yellowhammers, please use the link. http://www.birdfieldguide.co.uk/Yellowhammer.html
We need to know the following:
Name of observer, date, number of birds, location, which can be by common name, (Strand Water, Marsh Meadow), description (in hedge between Widbrook and Summerleaze pits) or Ordnance Survey grid Reference if you have it. (a map of local footpaths is on the ‘Hedges and Footpaths’ section above).
Records can be sent to Brian Clews who is compiling the data, via this email link: