Another Bird Bath Memory

Yesterday's post on bird bath use got me remembering some of the fine bird bath photos I have collected over the years with the Wingscapes BirdCam.  Here's a favorite from, I believe, the brutally hot spell in June 2008.  This American Robin really got down to business and soaked itself very well.  I am sure it was a refreshing situation for the bird and a lot of fun to watch.  I remember setting the camera to video mode later and saw many entertaining robin-esque activity at that bath.  Good summer fun!

Spring Robins

It must be spring! Don't we all say that when we are conscious of robins in the back yard?  Robins are, of course, perennials but they do seem much more obvious in the spring and summer.  And there are very obvious ones in our back yard and at the suet feeders.  One here is very fearless and allows me to close within five or six feet.  Perhaps it is one that has seen me stir things up with a shovel and hopes I will root like a pig!  Well, no chance of that.  It is so good to see clear signs of spring and robins fill the bill.

Well Fed Robins

As we enjoyed the sudden return to normal here in the Piedmont (temperatures of 60F+) I had the equal pleasure of watching the birds at the north feeders and at our "scratch ground".  One American Robin, or at least a robin each time I observed, had a ball.  I stirred things up enough there today which, combined with a highly rain-saturated ground, made for easy pickings for the robins.  They must have glutted themselves on worms and various other invertebrates.  Quite a sight.

In other news, dear friends, I will be offline for a good part of the coming week.  I hope to have some interesting news when I am able to resume posts.  Stay tuned!

Robins by the Yard

American Robins are certainly a year-round affair in our parts, but they seem to be less obvious in winter.  We get the usual one or so that visits the suet feeder, otherwise I barely know they are around.  One of the reasons for this, I think, is that our robin friends like bigger yards for their winter operations.  I found quite a few robins in a nearby school field and regularly see large numbers in similar open spaces.  Perhaps there is a safety in numbers issue, or the robins may get somewhat better results in less shady locations when it is cold.  That's easy to believe: my yard is frozen solid!  Well, we'll see them back soon enough.

Robins, A Bit

Despite the trend in spring, this has not turned out to be much of a Robin Summer, to my surprise.  We had a seeming bumper crop of these thrushes and I had every expectation of robins everywhere.  In fact, I see few.  And BirdCam does not do better.  There seem to be only a few of them nearby and they may range farther up the neighborhood.  What a sad thing that is!  I enjoy seeing these rascals probing for prey in the yard.  And the more the better!  Well, it is not to be.  And that means hoping for a better deal in winter, which is never the best time for robins in my part of town.  At least we have lots of cardinals!

Good Robin Activity

Following a very disappointing Robin-short winter, it looks like we have rebounded for the warm weather series.  Robins are now everywhere!  I am a sucker for American Robins: they are so interesting to watch, rather attractive birds, and make a pleasing sound to my ears (something like a gutteral laugh).  As usual, our Robins are early risers and are often the last birds we hear.  So the experience is an all-day one.  I notice them more when I attend to gardening chores and it seems like one is always watching in hopes I may disturb  an invertebrate.  Somewhere I read that robins think we humans are the same as hogs and if so I hope I make them (robins) just as happy.  What a great spring bird!

And Now, Winter Robins

We are on winter species watch here at Cary BirdCam, and it looks like our first contestant is American Robin.  I haven't seen robins in weeks.  And today, a small flock on the front lawn.  I've learned from experience that Piedmont-to-coastal winter robins are good flockers.  Hence, I connect the dots: we have winter migrants who spent their summer up north!  These birds will have a good week at the start.  It's been wet and warm, and the insects and whatever else should be easy to find.  It's good to see them.  Who's next?

Not Many Robins

Every season has its surprises, particularly with surfeits or deficits of various birds.  This summer one of the missing is the American Robin.  I saw quite a few in the spring, but hardly any this summer, at least in the times I have looked.  We must assume that the eats are good---elsewhere.  Or that our property hasn't been providing something.  This has happened before so I am not deeply worried.  They'll be back, maybe soon, or maybe next year (remember that our robins migrate and in the winter I'll see robins who migrated from the northeast.)  Too bad.  I have been digging a lot lately.  The robins missed some good soil disturbances!

At Least One Contented Bather

It is always a fine entertainment to watch various birds as they make use of the bird baths.  But I think the best of this is provided by the robins.  I do not know quite what it is I find so amusing.  Some of the fun is the "look" after a robin soaks itself.  Some of it is the flapping and splashing needed to achieve the soak.   Whatever goes on must be satisfying, for the robins are the species that returns the most to the bath during the day, and it bears noting that the juvenile robin of the season lurks about the ground level bath every year.  The fun must continue, for us at least, and presumably for the robins.  Thus the bath is topped off each day with fresh water and cleaned regulary.  Can't have them moving to a neighbors'!

First Juvenile Photo of 2012

I fear this grainy photo is reminiscent of so many spurious "Loch Ness Monster" or "Bigfoot" shots, but it is my first image of a juvenile from 2012.  This American Robin youngster was seen, characteristically, skulking around the bird baths.  I've seen that behavior in years past.  The year is starting well, as I have checked off juvenile Carolina Chickadees, House Finches, and Mourning Doves, all evidenced by the display of "begging" behavior.  But this robin wins the photo stakes.  And now I am looking out for young bluebirds, cardinals, and Downy Woodpeckers, as well as the White Breasted Nuthatch fledges I somehow missed in the back box.  I hope they keep coming!

Sometimes Nothing Makes Sense

When I observe a new behavior, I try to explain it.  Sounds easy.  But there are times when nothing makes sense.  Here's a new one by this American Robin.  The bird was seen roosting just below the feeders.  I have never seen this behavior before.  Is the robin sick? not likely...it regularly got up and flew around.  Camping out to discourage other feeders? no..many other birds were on feeders and ignored by the robin.  Cold? Ha! ha! not at room temperature! (70F outside)  So I'm stumped.  All I can do to sate my curiosity is to watch future behavior and see if I can better understand. 

Moravian Birds, In a Way

Every year at this time the brilliant and adorable Jennifer and I take a little trip of at least a day trip's length to some interesting place to celebrate our Anniversary.  And this year we found ourselves in the Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Old Salem is a living history museum celebrating the experience of the Moravians in what they called "Wachovia" in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  Indeed, there were costumed docents undertaking crafts etc.  but I was, as always alert to the avians.  And one species stuck out.  That would be American Robins.  They were everywhere...gardens...lawns...meadows.  Obviously the pickings were splendid.  The bird in the photo was enjoying the fact of recently turned earth in a backyard garden.  In Old Salem, I am pleased to say I saw many multiples more robins than, yes, squirrels.  (And I saw exactly one squirrel, making Old Salem as near to paradise as I could imagine.)  

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Gott segne das Rotkehlchen!

An Aggressive Robin

Every once in a while we experience the dubious joy of watching an aggressive alpha bird dominate a feeder tree and drive off all comers.  Northern Mockingbirds and Yellow Rumped Warblers performed this role in the past.  Suddenly, I'm seeing an American Robin of all species take on the office of "troll" at the main feeder tree.  Just last night I watched said Robin driving off cardinals, Yellow Rumped Warblers, nuthatches, and Mourning Doves.  It didn't matter whether the offender wanted suet, peanuts, safflower seed, or sunflower.  Robin the Barbarian repelled them all.  At times he seemed to tolerate Carolina Wrens and cardinals, but at any given moment that mood changed.  This is astonishing behavior from a species that really isn't a feeder bird.  It will be monitored and if I need to, I'll move feeders to other places.  Otherwise I may have to wait until migration calls and the aggressive Robin heads north.  Should be interesting.