Yellow Hammer run over yesterday.

OBaoghil.7

There was a TEAGASC event in a field close to my home yesterday. Also there are diversions on this road due to thr replacing of water pipes. This meant that there was an extraordinary amount of cars on using the small (single track) road. As a result a car hit and killed a Yellowhammer.
My wife and I walk locally every day and have for many years, enjoyed seeing a pair of Yellow hammers on this particular spot in the spring and summer each year.
We were watching the cars travelling quickly to and from this event yesterday. This road is usually very quiet and is ideal for the local hedgerow birds. This event coupled with the diversions has brought unexpected danger to the birds and sadly an endangered species has died.
We keep a fallow field by the house which has encouraged wild life and we have had a pair of yellowhammers nesting here this year for the first time which has been wonderful.

Ulmus

Best wishes for your conservation effort of the yellowhammer, OBaoghil.7.
Birdwatch Ireland are looking for records of yellowhammers nesting in August and September. https://www.birdwatchireland.ie/OurWork/ResearchSurveys/LateNestingBirdSurvey/tabid/1608/Default.aspx
RSPB link on yellowhammer conservation: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/farming/advice/helping-species/yellowhammer/

Eddie B

Just a fact if life I'm afraid. A lot of wildlife get killed on the roads, but it won't stop us from using vehicles to get from A to B. Think we need to look at the bigger picture though. Why are Yellowhammers, so scarce these days? Not from being killed on the roads, that's for sure. Changes in farming practices, and pesticides play a major role, in the decline of many species.

So what can we do to change things. That's a tough one. Maybe eating less meat, and buying from local markets.Stick to free range, and small farmed local produce. Maybe something like that may help the environment, and make us healthier. Maybe it won't make a bit of difference.

Maybe our self comforts of the modern world comes first, and when you really get down to it, no one really gives a dalm.

recedite

Yellowhammered.