Over the past week or so, the Yellowhammers have returned to their breeding areas and started singing in the hedgerows around Angle. However, all is not rosy in the garden, as many of the small Pembrokeshire farms with arable fields are struggling to qualify for Glastir - the new agri-environment scheme. As a consequence, we are already seeing a decline in the number of weedy arable fields in the county, which is not great news for the birds that use them. One species likely to be particularly badly affected is the the Yellowhammer, which invariably breeds in close proximity to weedy crop fields.
As such, we are planning to carry out a Yellowhammer survey in the county next year, and I would be grateful if observers could a) make a note of the location of any breeding/singing Yellowhammers that they see this summer and b) note whether there is a cereal or roots field nearby. This information will be used in preparation for the full survey in 2014. Please send your records and any supporting information to
clive.hurford@btinternet.com . Thanks
