Interesting that Tretio has a pair of yellowhammers; Porthiddy Farm (about
two miles away) has just lost a pair, not seen (yet, at least) this year for the
first time. Have they moved house? This farm did have two yellowhammer sites 12
years ago, but our “Yellowhammer Corner” now needs a new name. The only
“management change” I can think of over this period is that we now live with
very large numbers of badgers (their population has expanded dramatically);
might they be predating nests? An opportunity for studying any yellowhammer
population trends in the badger cull areas of England may soon present itself.
(If the proposed badger cull turns out to be really effective). If our
yellowhammers do turn up, I’ll let you know! But they are very late, I usually
see them while spreading muck in late March/ early April.
Andrew Wade