View Full Version : Robins!
MapMan
03-05-2009, 10:29 AM
Saw my first Robin of the year a few minutes ago. Actually, a flock of 50-75 converged on the farm, and just as soon as they were in sight, they were off to check out other locales. A true harbinger of Spring! :thumbsup:
And, usually a harbinger of a heavy, deep wet snow which will engulf the area, and make you wonder how those worm-eaters will survive. :scratch:
MM
dragonfly
03-05-2009, 10:52 AM
And, usually a harbinger of a heavy, deep wet snow which will engulf the area, and make you wonder how those worm-eaters will survive. :scratch:
MM
:) It's amazing how lots of birds survive. Martins will show up just 50 miles east of me in February. There are usually very few flying insects available (or so it seems), but somehow they manage to find enough.
We've had a pretty healthy flock of robins hanging around here for about the past month or so. They seem to be pretty hardy.
JohnK and Sheri
03-05-2009, 12:48 PM
We saw our first Robins this morning also, three in the crap apple tree out front. Yeeaahhh!
We have had years when we see Robins in January, but not in a year with a winter like this one.
Sheri
dcross
03-05-2009, 02:51 PM
First robin of the year has to get snowed on three times...:(
Robert Brenchley
03-05-2009, 05:13 PM
Do you have swallows over there? One has survived the winter here in Cornwall. Your robin is a totally different bird from ours. I get them hopping about when I'm digging on the allotment. The adults (with red breasts) only take small insects, but the young ones, without the breasts, try to tackle worms which are far too big for them.
MapMan
03-05-2009, 05:51 PM
Do you have swallows over there? One has survived the winter here in Cornwall. Your robin is a totally different bird from ours. I get them hopping about when I'm digging on the allotment. The adults (with red breasts) only take small insects, but the young ones, without the breasts, try to tackle worms which are far too big for them.
Swallows haven't arrived yet - they will generally arrive in mid to late April. Our Robins when young have speckled breasts, and darken with maturity. When we get a good soaking rain, they have a great time and full bellies from eating all the night crawlers that climb to the surface to avoid drowning (only to drown anyway in the puddles).
MapMan
03-05-2009, 05:51 PM
First robin of the year has to get snowed on three times...:(
Yeah - I hope not this year!
MM
mattoleriver
03-06-2009, 03:40 AM
Do you have swallows over there?
Yep, some. The blogger is ~50 miles west of where I live. We have several species of swallows here but I have not yet noticed any this year.
http://empids.blogspot.com/2008/09/barn-swallow-flock-staging-in-oregon.html
http://empids.blogspot.com/2008/09/barn-swallows-on-radar-in-oregon.html
George
dragonfly
03-06-2009, 06:01 AM
Do you have swallows over there?
In this part of thc country, we have primarily two species of swallows. Purple martins arrive here between Feb and April. I saw a small flock of cliff swallows not too far from here a couple of weeks ago, and expect PM's here on my place in 1-2 weeks.
magnet-man
03-06-2009, 06:50 AM
Saw my first Robin of the year ...deep wet snow which will engulf the area, and make you wonder how those worm-eaters will survive. :scratch:
Down in Louisiana the robins would come through and eat the barriers on the hackberry trees and we had purple robin snow on everything. :D I am sure there are some sort of dried berries they will make color snow with there.
mattoleriver
03-06-2009, 12:48 PM
Down in Louisiana the robins would come through and eat the barriers on the hackberry trees and we had purple robin snow on everything.
Maybe that's all we can expect from a bird known as Turdus migratorius!
George
power napper
03-11-2009, 08:54 AM
Yesterday March 10 the robins appeared here. It looked like they were all male robins. Are the males the first to show up like the hummingbirds migration?
Makes a fella want to take the snow plow off.
Hobie
03-12-2009, 08:16 AM
Saw two in the yard yesterday! But I'm still waiting for the traditional Erie St. Patty's Day blizzard.
Funny, but my relatives in Alabama say that their sign of spring is when the robins leave! Is that true for the south in general?
Oldbee
03-12-2009, 10:58 AM
Haven't been out too much to see birds lately but there were a lot of them today in the back yard; Grackles, Starlings, Red-wing blackbirds and a few Robins. There were reports of these birds a week ago around here. It's really cold now and they're looking for food.
dragonfly
03-12-2009, 11:36 AM
Funny, but my relatives in Alabama say that their sign of spring is when the robins leave! Is that true for the south in general?
That seems to be true here, and it seems to be the end of spring when the goldfinches leave to go north for breeding.
ScadsOBees
03-12-2009, 12:15 PM
There have been a whole flock in the woods by my workplace all winter long. I think they were eating dried apples.
Finally have them at home. Love that first song of the spring!
Was outside the other night and it was about 60F after the rain, and the worms were all over! The kids were having a heydey with the flashlight trying to catch all those quick slimey little buggers. I first noticed them because I was wondering why it looked like the ground was moving :rolleyes:
Rick
dcross
03-13-2009, 05:06 PM
Yeah - I hope not this year!
I think we could check off two out of three already, but I haven't seen my first robin yet...
swamprat
03-14-2009, 09:16 AM
seen first robin yesterday 3/13 also red wing blackbirds and killdeers.