Yellowhammers

[Dogghound]

Hi all, Tonight i went for a walk which went through, heath, woodland and farmland and the amount of yellowhammers i saw was amazing, iv never seen so many, last year there were hardly any, are they on a national population boom or is it just the ones around me? anyone else noticed this?

[Ollie]

Where I live in Lincolnshire there is a very healthy population of Yellowhammers but I can't say as I've noticed any greater numbers than is usual this year.
Roger

[Dogghound]

They seem to have just taken off here, even seen them in the garden is this unusual? but tonight there were loads more than past years in that area.

[aeshna5]

In the south-east they seem to be vitually invisible; it's a red letter day when I see one!

It's great that they are thriving in some places- such a cracker of a bird.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

They seem to have just taken off here, even seen them in the garden is this unusual? but tonight there were loads more than past years in that area.

I don't actually get them in our garden and as far as I am aware they are not commonly seen in gardens, however some friends of mine further up the road do get them using their feeding station in the garden occasionally
Roger

[colinaj]

Just post breeding dispersal.

[alan45]

Hi Dogghound
I live in the southwest of scotland and have
been feeding the birds in my garden every winter for as long
as i can remember,but last winter i had a 8 yellow hammers
feeding on the table every day for the first time.

[Cazzie]

Ooo! I've never seen a Yellowhammer in the flesh (so to speak), so where abouts in N.Yorks are you then? *hint hint*

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

You get plenty around here in the country lanes of Lincolnshire

[Dan Salter]

Plenty around here in rural maidstone kent

[Pete Collins]

I always think yellowhammers are a very considerate type of bird - they usually perch on top of a bush or a post when they sing, so they're easy to spot. If only all birds were that co-operative!

I've seen a few here in the Home Counties this year, but I'm not qualified to say if they are increasing or decreasing in numbers.

[xestop1]

Pretty frequent in NE Somerset too. They always take me back to my boyhood when I first started birding and the excitment of identifying a bird that was not just a garden visitor. If they were truely rare I bet they would be prized so much more as they are so bright.

[Durdar]

We get plenty of yellowhammers in our garden in Cumbria. One year I counted 24 at one time, some on the ground the others in our apple tree.

There have been about 10 this year. I find they are more likely to come if I put seed on the ground. Once they get used to finding it there they tell all their mates.

[Pete Collins]

Hi Durdar, welcome to WAB!

I was in the garden yesterday trying to take bird photos, and I was surprised to see a Yellowhammer. I only managed a poor quality photo at about 120ft that was just about good enough to show what type of bird it was. I have only very, very rarely seen a Yellowhammer in our garden before, although it backs onto a paddock with open countryside beyond.

[JeffH]

We used to get lots of them in the hedgerows along the lanes around our village but I haven't seen one locally for some years now, which is a great shame as they're lovely colourful birds and I love to hear their 'little bit of bread but no cheeeese' call

Jeff

[andywolves]

My neighbour had more joy with yellowhammers lst year - 20-40 at a time all ground feeding - this year though I have had a few popping in and out, including a couple on the feeders which I havent seen before. i have taken to scattering a hadfull of seed on the grass of a morning, they certainly add a splash of colour when they descend!