I've been peering very closely at the photo but I can't make out the foliage. It almost looks like leaves rather than needles. Are you absolutely certain it is yew? From this picture it looks as if it could be box. In which case browning is quite common from various causes.

Thanks for the quick response.

Here is a picture from the yellowing section. It took an effort to break a piece off - it didn't snap like a dry piece - the wood was bendable.

BUT, when I put the piece on a sheet of paper, I found 3 very tiny red dots the size of a pin point scurrying around!

I'm glad you responded to my post or else I would have never seen the critters.

Now, I need to find out what they are and how to treat the shrub.

Attached is an enlarged picture of the bug.

Any ideas?

Those little bugs are predatory mites...beneficial insects!

the area along the foundation of a house tends to be warmer & drier than the rest of the yard. This microclimate can encourage mite infestations. Mites are little sap suckers that can dessicate your shrubs if left uncontrolled. Don't spray the shrubs with insecticide -- it won't kill mites. Commercial miticides are available (Avid, Floramite) but you'd need to order them online and they are pricey. Your best (and easiest) recourse is to wash the shrubs daily for three days then weekly for the remainder of the growing season. Wash means use a strong blast of water from the garden hose to knock the mites off the foliage. Mites tend to congregate in the foliage toward the base of the shrub so a water wand would help direct the stream of water. Good luck!

OK - now I see needles. But I'm afraid I can't help with the diagnosis.

Ordered AzaMax. Looks like it could do the trick. Any other suggestions are welcomed.