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Robins continued to appear in new places this week. This is good news to fifth grade students in Maine who have been eagerly awaiting their arrival:
"Dear Journey North, Our class has been plotting the robin data each week by color coding locations - this is about as close as we can get to a robin since we had a foot of snow last week and a no school, snow day on Friday. We have noticed some interesting patterns though. We have a line extending from California to Massachusetts which means to us that the isotherm at that latitude across the country must be 36 degrees (and moving north!)
We are glad you mentioned the theory about robins coming in on a south wind because we also have a line which extends from Florida up the coast to Massachusetts - another good sign robins are headed this way. (We live on a small island off the coast of Maine.) Sincerely, Mrs. Howley's grade 5 class, Southwest Harbor, Maine" grade5fh@pemetic.u98.k12.me.us
As you look at today's new robin reports on the table below, see if you can explain these things: While it's snowy and cold in Maine (43 N) students report a warm, sunny, green day in Victoria, British Columbia (48 N). According to Miss Young's students, a flock of 20 robins was seen there on February 20th! At a later date and far south of British Columbia, Mike Dunn of North Carolina's Museum of Natural History says robins just began appearing in Raleigh, North Carolina (36 N) in numbers last week.
"Why do you think robins arrived in Victoria, British Columbia (48 N) so long before they're expected in Southwest Harbor, Maine (43 N) and before they appeared in Raleigh, North Carolina (36 N)?"
To respond to this Challenge Question, please follow the instructions at the end of this report.
Date............Location (# Robins)
01/29/96........Redding, CA (Hundreds since last week of Jan.
02/20/96........Victoria, BC ("About 20" robins)
02/25/96........Jefferson, IA (1 robin)
02/28/96........Cumberland, MD (2, 12, 5 robins)
03/01/96........Georgetown, TX (2 robins)
03/04/96........Oley, PA ( "About 20" robins)
03/05/96........Pennington, NJ (3 robins)
03/06/96........Raleigh, NC ("Seeing large numbers of robins")
03/07/96........Baltimore, MD (2, 1, 1 robins)
03/08/96........Tallahassee, FL (25 robins)
03/11/96........Kent, WA (1 robin)
03/11/96........Deering, OH ( 20 robins)
From CALIFORNIA:
January 29, 1996
Robins have been here since the last week of January. Hundreds in the trees, in the morning and evening. Triston
and Zephyr, Grade 5 Carter House Natural Science Museum carterhouse@shastalink.k12.ca.us
Redding, CA
40.5 N 122.5 W
From BRITISH COLUMBIA:
February 20, 1996
There were lots of robins, about 20. Some of them were flying some were inthe trees. It was a warm, sunny, green
day. Josh Ventress and Michael taylor Miss Young lyoung@pinc.com Cross Roads
From IOWA:
February 25, 1996
"Robin was sighted at 11:15 A.M. sitting in a residential yard on Sunday, Feb. 25."
Kristy Kinnan
Jefferson-Scranton
Mr.Stein gerrystein@qmail.jefferson-scranton.k12.ia.us
From MARYLAND:
February 28, 1996
Giana Malak on 2/28/96 saw 12 robins, Michael Laco on 3/1/96 saw 2 robins, and on 3/4/96 Megan Ambrose saw 5 robins.
Char St. Amand Bel Air Elementary belair@fre.fsu.umd.edu
From TEXAS:
March 1, 1996
"I saw only two robins this time."
Nicole Duff taz@inetport.com
From PENNSYLVANIA:
March 4, 1996
I have personally been on the lookout for robins, etc. since this project began and saw a field of robins yesterday
-- about 20 of them. We are enjoying this project immensely! Thanks.
Lynda Eckert leckert@fast.net
Computer Lab Instructor
Oley Valley Elementary School
From NEW JERSEY:
March 5, 1996
Miss Ladd's First Grade class at Toll Gate Grammar School in Pennington, NJ saw three robins outside the classroom
window. The robins were sighted on Tuesday, March 5 at 10:15. We were so excited to see this sign of Spring so
early!! I hope they keep warm--snow is expected this weekend! Miss_Ladd@hvrsd.k12.nj.us
From NORTH CAROLINA:
March 6, 1996
We have had a stretch of warm weather over the past few weeks and have started seeing large numbers of robins here
in the Piedmont of North Carolina. One note of interest on the overwintering behavior of robins in our state is
that there are generally large numbers of robins found throughout much of the winter in the coastal plain of North
Carolina. Every year on our annual Christmas Bird Count, we see robins in the pocosin habitats in the coastal plain
near Plymouth, NC. This region is characterized by several species of evergreen shrubs (many in the holly family)
which contain berries that are a staple food source for many birds during the winter. The ground in this region
also tends to be highly organic and generally remains unfrozen for much of the winter, allowing for some feeding
on worms and other ground dwelling creatures. An ornithologist here at the Museum has suggested that the robins
we see on the coast in December through February are a mixture of northern migrants and robins from other regions
in NC that have migrated east for the winter. I have also noted a robin or two that has spent much of January and
early February (when it was bitterly cold here) in my backyard. It was feeding on dogwood berries I placed on my
feeder (someone sells them locally as a bluebird food source). It also dined on suet and peanut butter at my feeders.
MikeDunn@aol.com
NC State Museum of Natural Sciences
Raleigh, North Carolina
From MARYLAND:
March 7, 1996
Nicholas Hall saw two robins on his front lawn. Jacob saw a robin at his grandmother's house. Brian Montes saw
one in his grandmother's backyard in New Brunswick, NJ. The class calculated the isotherm for the week ending March
1st, and found it to be 41 deg F. Buds are swelling on the trees, but we don't have leaves yet. Daffodils are starting
to emerge from the ground, but there are no flowers yet. Mt. Washington Elementary Mrs. Spencer GRIFFITH@nacls.com
From FLORIDA:
March 8, 1996
I saw 10 to 15 robins in my front yard and about 5 in the park. I also saw about 5 around town. That equals 25
robins in one day! See ya! My name is Elizabeth Stinson, and I'm in third grade. Sandy Beck
beck@wane-leon-mail.scri.fsu.edu Academic Resource Center
From WASHINGTON:
March 11, 1996
Sighted the first robin and also have quarter sized leaf out on Japanese flowering cherry trees and maple trees.
All other trees have buds just emerging. Average daily temperature for last week has been between 43-50. Its really
warming up. Wesley Harness wharness@kent.wednet.edu Grass Lake Elementary
From OHIO:
March 11, 1996
We had a little snow Thursday. I saw about 20 robins looking for food in my front yard. Over the weekend I saw
them everywhere I went.They have definitely came into my area. They are real big and plump. James Kearns JKEARNS@scoca1.scoca.ohio.gov
How to Respond to Challenge Question #33:
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #33
3. In the body of your message, answer this question:
"Why do you think robins arrived in Victoria, British Columbia (48 N) so long before they're expected in Southwest Harbor, Maine (43 N) and before they appeared in Raleigh, North Carolina (36 N)?"
The Next Robin Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 19, 1996
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