** Spring is Springin.**

[MikeInEburg]

I saw a robin the other day - unfortunately, it was under three feet of snow...
Mike

 

[MossRoad]

Saw the first Robin of the year yesterday 2-14-10.

There is a muddy spring at a local lake's edge under a high bank (about 90') and the robbins are there pecking worms the first week of January.

 

[MossRoad]

Robins must mean different things in different parts of the country - -

We visited my sister in Tucson on year and on a tram ride up in a park there was a Cardinal in a bush. The tram about tipped over with everyone trying to get a picture. My wife and I laughed for two reasons.

1. Cardinals are quite common in Indiana.
2. The team name of Arizona Cardinals seems to imply they are common.

 

[mostly_gas]

Not sure why one would think because a football team is called the Cardinals that they are named for a local bird. In this case the team started as the Chicago Cardinals then moved to St Louis (Football and baseball both Cardinals,was often confusing) before they migrated to AZ.

 

[irvingj]

We had several flocks (30-50 at a time, which we usually don't see) arrive here last week.... We were having some relatively mild temps --low 30s-- but I wondered if it was because DC, MD, VA and points south had been dumped on so much recently; we actually had very little snow on the ground here, certainly less than they did! We generally don't see robins until around March or April.

 

[MossRoad]

Not sure why one would think because a football team is called the Cardinals that they are named for a local bird. In this case the team started as the Chicago Cardinals then moved to St Louis (Football and baseball both Cardinals,was often confusing) before they migrated to AZ.

Well, thanks! I did not know that.

 

[jinman]

There are robins in Ohio all year long. Most people just aren't looking for them, but they're out there.

My little bit of research says you are exactly right. It seems that Robins migrate to where they can find food instead of any temperature related migration. Of course, in cold areas, there may not be fruit for winter food, so there seems to be some southern movement, but it is not well defined. Perhaps the reason we don't see them in the winter is due to their being in dense forest or swampy areas. In the spring when the ground thaws and they can return to looking for their favorite food, earthworms, they show up in our cities and lawns in great numbers. After eating berries and seeds all winter, they are looking for some meat.

 

[dave1949]

My little bit of research says you are exactly right. It seems that Robins migrate to where they can find food instead of any temperature related migration. Of course, in cold areas, there may not be fruit for winter food, so there seems to be some southern movement, but it is not well defined. Perhaps the reason we don't see them in the winter is due to their being in dense forest or swampy areas. In the spring when the ground thaws and they can return to looking for their favorite food, earthworms, they show up in our cities and lawns in great numbers. After eating berries and seeds all winter, they are looking for some meat.

I just did some looking too, for Maine. People do see robins in Maine thru the winter, especially along the coast. Some are robins from Canada, some are American robins that stay over if they can. We used to live near the coast in S. Maine, I don't think I saw robins all winter long there either though. It must be very forage dependent.

If they were around our lot in winter, I would see them. I see chickadees and titmice in the woods all winter long. Must not be anything robins can survive on in this immediate area. If they go even 150 miles south, it is a good bit warmer.
Dave.

 

[MMagis]

Perhaps the reason we don't see them in the winter is due to their being in dense forest or swampy areas.

I think you may be right. I always see them while bowhunting in Dec and Jan, but I'm in the woods. I seldom see them in the yard.

 

[Bird]

Saw the first Robin of the year yesterday 2-14-10.

I've read and heard in the past that some Robins migrate north and south, while others stay in one area year round. At any rate, I had not seen a Robin since last summer until the last few minutes. I'm sitting here watching a pair of Robins in my backyard right now. And one day in the last week, I noticed a pair of Cardinals (male and female) sitting on the fence. So I guess Spring is coming.