| Please Report Your Sightings! |
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This Week's Update Includes:
- News: What's Happening Now & What to Watch For
- Slideshow: Earthworms and Robins Return
- Waiting for Robins: Early Bird Contest
- Research Question: Worms: What's Wonderful?
- Latest Maps: Where Are Robins Now?
- Report Your Sightings: What, Where & How
Winter is giving way to spring as last week's storms are being replaced by warming temperatures. Reports of waves of robins have diminished and reports of first robin sightings and first songs have increased. No robins, in waves or singles, were reported at latitude 46° North or above. So, while robin distribution still doesn't show a big push northward, robin abundance has increased. Dots are filling in more solidly across the map of the continent.
Your reports tell us that robins are switching from berries to worms where worms are available, but robins in the north are still eating berries because of the snow cover.
The happy sounds of the long-awaited robin songs were prevalent along the 40-43 degrees North latitude, with a few song reports at 45° but no singing at or above 46° latitude.
- Michigan, March 11: Woke up to robin morning song loud enough to be heard through closed windows.
- Wisconsin, March 11: Just one bird. Flew into a tree, started singing. Hopped into the grass in search of food.
The robin season of robin song is just beginning. Get ready so you'll know when you hear your robin's song!
What
to Watch For
As the snow melts and the sun warms the soil, watch how—and where—robins find earthworms. Also notice what the robins do first after they arrive back on their territory in spring.
- Illinois, March 11: Have been watching for first robin for nearly 2 weeks. Last week's strong winds may have stalled their arrival. Got that sighting today when 2 males were having a dispute over territory.
During fine weather, male robins spend their time singing, feeding, and investigating their territories. They may skirmish with other males. During cold or very wet weather, the males grow more silent. They concentrate on feeding and taking shelter in thick conifer branches so they can survive. Look and listen carefully. Can you see and hear these differences yourself?
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| Photo: Don Severson |
| Welcome Back, Boys! |
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| Photo: Don Severson |
| Big Gulp |
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| Photo: Wayne Kryduba |
| New Menu! |
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| Photo: Laura Erickson |
| Leapfrog: Who Sings? |
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| Image: Andy Wilson |
| What's Up, and Why? |
- Michigan, March 8: Our non-wintering male robins are coming back, and today I saw a very nice well colored male pluck a smallish-but-fat worm out of the front lawn.
How closely are the arrival of robins and the emerging of earthworms connected? Find out in this week's slideshow:
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| First See (map/list) |
Waves (map/list) |
Singing (map/list) |
Earthworms (map/list) |
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The
First Robin You See |
Robins
migrating in Waves |
The
First Robin You Hear Singing |
Your first sighting of Earthworms |
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