A Little Bit Of Bread And No Cheese

Notes From The Downs

At this time of year, as I wander the lanes on my usual loop I can almost guarantee I will be joined at some point along the way by a yellow hammer or two. Particularly fond of the surrounding farmland, they sit high on the telephone wires, singing their famous tune, their feathers bright and brash against the clear blue sky.

Emberiza citrinella is the rather glorious latin name for the yellow hammer, the golden bird of the bunting family, most famous for its call, which is said to sound like ‘A Little Bit of Bread and No Cheese.’ As it wheezes the end note you’d be forgiven for thinking this little wonder is a finch of some kind but a bunting it most definitely is and with it there comes a whole host of superstition and lore, some of it rather sinister.

Photo by Bob Brewer on Unsplash