Today's Report Includes:
- The Migration: Maps, Data and Questions
- Highlights: Home Sweet Home
- Discover: Who Does What?
- Journal: Which
Would You Rather Be?
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Robins:
1st SEEN |
Robins:
WAVES |
Map Animation: The map of Robins Singing will show the clearest pattern Click on our week-by-week animations to see how each migration has advanced. >> |
Handout: Today's Robin Map Questions |
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Highlights:
Home Sweet Home A few robins are still homeward bound, winging to North America's far north to breed. Robins arrived on Earth Day in northern Saskatchewan (53.2 N). But many have reached the end of their road. They're very busy, too. A Ketchikan, Alaska observer listed the robin behaviors seen as the days went by: "The robins at first were just eating frantically from yard to yard, with about 10-20 at a time. Now they have dispersed somewhat, and you will see 2 or 5 or so at a time — once in a while seeing or hearing a lone robin in a treetop or fencepost, singing his heart out for maybe 2 minutes, then flying off to another location, where you hear more singing." Those singing birds were staking their territories and meeting new mates.
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Slideshow! What's
a Robin's Spring Mission? |
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"Yes !!! They are building the first nest," wrote an excited observer in Quebec on April 21. Next: eggs!
For a mother robin to carry more than one egg in her small body would be like an airplane trying to fly with too much weight on board. How many eggs will she lay? Each tiny baby weighs less than a quarter when it hatches, but it already knows three things. What are they? Why is it good that baby robins are the size of their parents in just two weeks?
This Journey North robin booklet looks at these questions and more. Find the booklet here, along with Teacher Guide and print-and-fold instructions.
Robins will soon be doing the serious work of raising another generation. Although it's not written down anywhere, male and female robins know exactly what their duties are when it comes to raising young. What do females do? What do males do? Are there jobs they BOTH do? We'll help you help you find out. Then record their chores on this chart after digging into these pages to find out who does what:
After you read the booklet and do the lesson above, decide this:
- Would you rather be a mother robin or a father robin? Why?
Write your ideas in your Robin Migration Journal.
NEWS FLASH Today! We just learned (after posting this report) that the first robin in Shageluk, Alaska (this year's Early Bird Contest host) was seen April 22 and heard April 20! Congratulations to contest winner Claire, with the closeset prediction of April 17!
And our NOP in Port Hope, Ontario, had this exciting news: "We saw a female robin flying by with mud and long old grass in its beak (nesting material) heading for a tall lilac bush!"
How many Northern Observation Posts (NOPs) — the 22 yellow stars on the robin maps — are still waiting to see or hear their first robins? See the latest news at the end of the robins' migration trail:
- See today's NOP comments
- Update your prediction log >>
Lesson: >>
The Next Robin Migration Update Will Be Posted on May 1, 2007 (data only).
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