When I said last week that the next few months would be very interesting on patch, little did I realise quite how soon those words would come to fruition. In the end it only took until Friday evening when a loud but unfamiliar call interrupted my exploration of Cefn Drum’s lower slopes. Looking skywards I spotted a flock of four smallish birds heading into the uppermost branches of some nearby trees and duly went to investigate. What I hadn’t expected to find was true patch gold in the shape of my first ever local Lesser Redpolls, and indeed the first for this year. What’s more a couple of them were stunning males with incredibly vivid red plumage.

P1040941 - Lesser Redpoll, Cefn Drum
P1040944 - Lesser Redpoll, Cefn Drum

A short distance away the short, sharp peeps of recently fledged Robins led me to three very tame individuals. The parents were nowhere to be seen and as I crouched in a ditch the young birds approached to within a meter of my position. With their gapes still on show and a tuft of feathers above each eye they were the perfect vision of spring in action.

P1040934 - Robin Fledgling, Cefn Drum
P1040936 - Robin Fledgling, Cefn Drum
P1040937 - Robin Fledgling, Cefn Drum

Another couple of Robin families were spread out across the valley floor with further breeding success evidenced by two juvenile Stonechats. Some species are clearly a little way behind with this Crows nest holding a sitting bird. Whether on eggs or chicks I couldn’t tell you but it’s certainly quite exposed to the elements.

P1040939 - Crow Nest, Cefn Drum

The usual culprits were all in attendance but it’s worth noting a marked increase in Linnet numbers at last with at least six birds now present. Yellowhammers are also finally beginning to show themselves more readily with a stunning male and at least another two birds in the same locality as the young Robins above. There was also the unusual sight of a male Blackbird chasing off a Jay who had no doubt strayed too close to its nest. Who knows what will turn up next.

63/68 (2013/2012)


11 Comments

HansHB · May 28, 2013 at 9:35 pm

Great post for WBW!

TexWisGirl · May 28, 2013 at 9:47 pm

oh, those tiny babies are adorable!!! so darn cute!

Unknown · May 28, 2013 at 9:52 pm

Beautiful series!! All my Redpolls have gone north now. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

eileeninmd · May 28, 2013 at 10:19 pm

Great post and the babies are so cute. Thanks for sharing your WB!

Bob Bushell · May 28, 2013 at 10:21 pm

Beautiful images, the Robin chick is superb. Cheers Adam.

Gordon · May 28, 2013 at 11:10 pm

Love the young Robin, looks like a budding punk.
Gordon.

Karen · May 29, 2013 at 2:26 am

What a cute fat fluffy baby!

mick · May 29, 2013 at 5:49 am

Great photos of beautiful birds.

holdingmoments · May 29, 2013 at 12:51 pm

That little Robin is cute beyond belief.

Dave · May 29, 2013 at 5:57 pm

Love juvenile robins, marmalade birds as I call them.

Unknown · May 30, 2013 at 5:02 pm

They're absolutely adorable!

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