The sun shone bright and warm over the snow and ice yesterday. A cold north wind blew across open fields so I chose a sheltered trail near the river for an afternoon walk. I was greeted by robin songs as I got out of the car and followed the sound into a nearby bush. A tangle of berry bushes attracted the songsters. I threw some bird seed on the snow and stood still while I counted.
30 Robins, 3 Cedar Waxwings,
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| A different angle on a Cedar Waxwing |
many friendly Chickadees and Nuthatches, a Brown Creeper,
singing Cardinals, exuberant House Finches, 3 Downy and 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker,
Tree Sparrows, Juncos...all in one spot, singing the same song....
SPRING!
I count my first spring robins as the entrance to the spring season. Peterson Field Guides published this on their Facebook page yesterday.
"Though the American Robin has become widely recognized as a harbinger of spring, in southern Canada and most of the US the species resides year-round. Individuals usually gather in flocks during the winter months, feeding primarily on frozen berries and other fruit. Some of these flocks can be quite sizable, numbering in the hundreds of birds. Our perception of the robin's return in spring is oftentimes actually the disbanding of the winter flocks and return of individuals to their summer territories. The only fully migratory populations are those of the boreal and subarctic. Have your local birds come back yet?"
I know this flock of robins was likely one of the groups I saw locally in January, but their behaviour in March is very different than in mid-winter. Their migrating cousins will be hopping on our lawns in the next couple of weeks.
That's a great shot of the Robin. Your bird count on that outing was fantastic. There is nothing more beautiful then the song of a robin singing the spring in. Looking forward to the arrival of many more birds.
ReplyDeleteI hear they've been seen in Belleville, but so help them if they come up here where it is frozen and snow-covered.
ReplyDeleteI too want to believe it's Spring. I really like the shot of the cedar waxwing's belly.
ReplyDeleteThe only birds back so far are a pair of greedy little Pine Siskins. Definitely no robins.
ReplyDeleteAt 4 C here in the tropics we have many migratory warblers and others waiting to come your way.
ReplyDeleteWe are still way below normal temperatures for the year.
Today has a cold north wind.
Mom
It is so refreshing to see the Robin,even if it is only on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI love the first Robin photo..always a nice sign of spring!
ReplyDeleteLots of robins here too on the VA eastern shore. I got a few photos and will do a post on robins soon. They are such a joy to hear.
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