Robin Migration Update: April 17, 2012 |
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While we're waiting for some robins to reach the end of the migration trail, the breeding cycle is underway in places where robins are on territory. What general routes do robins follow as they make their journeys north? As Earth Day nears, solve a food chain mystery and uncover Rachel Carson's important discovery.
This Week's Update Includes:
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Image of the Week | ||||||||||||||||||
Photo: Randy Indish | |||||||||||||||||||
Thank Rachel Carson | |||||||||||||||||||
News: What's Happening Now & What to Watch For | |||||||||||||||||||
What's
Happening Now This spring's quick warm-up brought a rush of early robins that began singing on territory, showing they planned to stay. But many people at the far end of the migration trail are just welcoming robins—or still waiting. They report:
Who's Still Waiting? Besides Shageluk, which other Northern Observation Posts are still waiting? What
to Watch For
Reports from observers tell what to what to watch for, depending upon where you are located.
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Explore and Journal: A Food Chain Mystery | |||||||||||||||||||
In her book, Silent Spring, Rachel Carson wrote about a chain of events that ended in a tragedy for robins. It all began because people wanted to protect American elm trees from a deadly disease. They sprayed the elm trees with an insecticide that contained a powerful chemical called DDT. The chemical pesticides ended up killing backyard robins long after the elm trees were sprayed.
Follow the robin's food chain to see what happened, and read about Rachel Carson's courage to voice her concerns. Introduction, article, journal page: |
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Latest Maps: Where Are Robins Now? | |||||||||||||||||||
These maps show where people have reported robins and earthworms. Patterns emerge as citizen scientists report their observations. Singing robins reveal the temperature patterns of North America as we hear reports of robins singing at higher latitudes and at higher elevations.
Are worms where the robins are?
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The next Robin migration update will be posted on April 24, 2012. | |||||||||||||||||||