STILL no robins in Anchorage, Alaska say Mr. Sterling's students at Sand Lake Elementary. However, according to field reporters in British Columbia, they're on their way! Read the reports below to find out how far north the robins have travelled. As soon as robins arrive in Anchorage we'll announce the winner of the Early Bird Contest.
Thanks to you all for creating this view of robin migration during the spring of 1996! This map shows all the "first" sightings of robins students have reported. How does this picture compare to the map you are making in your classroom? It was made with special GIS mapping software called ArcView, thanks to Charlie Fitzpatrick of ESRI.
Many robin watchers continue to report news about robins in their regions. You'll find their observations below in the section called, "Robin Notes"
How far north are the robins going to go, anyway? Caribou biologist Robert Mulders from Arviat (Eskimo Point), Northwest Territories near Hudson Bay reports, "Robins don't generally travel this far north onto the tundra to nest. However, the first snow buntings were spotted on April 13th. Spring has arrived once we start to see snow buntings, peregrine falcons, geese, herring gulls and horned larks. During the winter months the only birds commonly seen are ravens and ptarmigan--and an occasional snowy owl and gyrfalcon."
Check a field guide to North American Birds where you will find a "range map" for robins. A range map shows where a species is regularly distributed. How does the northern limit of the robins' range compare with the treeline? Why do you think robins are distributed as their range map shows? Why don't they go further north?
Mrs. Allen's 4th Grade students in Pueblo, Colorado investigated the connection between Rachel Carson and backyard robins. Here's what they discovered:
"Rachel Carson was a biologist and science writer who was concerned about the use of DDT because it poisoned the fish birds and water. She helped make limits on the use of DDT. She is a hero. Robins eat chiefly insects so they were also getting DDT." Adam Wiseman & Sean Mc Nally, Mrs. Allen's 4th Grade class South Park Elementary Pueblo, Colorado garyt@csn.net
Nice work! We'd like to know even more about the contamination of the robins' food chain. It's true that robins eat insects as these students report. However, the robin's diet is primarily earthworms. In fact, robins often eat 10-12 earthworms in as many minutes! In the 1950's many people witnessed a frightening thing: The robins in their backyards were dying as soon as they arrived in the springtime. "Each wave of migrating robins would be eliminated in about a week. New arrivals would come in, only to add to the numbers of dead birds. Few birds were seen in their normal foraging activities or assembling in their usual roosts. Few nests were built; few young appeared." This was the question people faced:
Challenge Question # 95
"Exactly how was DDT getting into the worms robins were eating?"
(Clue: Chapter 8: "And No Birds Sing")
To respond to this Challenge Question please follow the instructions at the end of this report.
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ROBIN REPORTS FROM FIELD OBSERVERS
Date Location
03/22/96..........Crested Butte, CO (38.8 N, 107.0 W)
04/01/96..........Thornhill, Ontario (43.75 N, 79.5 W)
04/05/96..........Parry Sound, Ontario (45.3 N, 80 W)
04/05/96..........Coleraine, MN (47.3 N, 93.5 W)
04/10/96..........Iron River, MI (46.0 N, 88.75W)
04/11/96..........Burns Lake, British Columbia (54 N, 126 W)
04/11/96..........Pequot Lakes, MN (46.6 N, 94.4 W)
04/13/96..........Penticton, British Columbia (49.5N, 119.5W)
04/13/96..........Kelowna, British Columbia (50.0N, 119.1 W)
04/13/96..........Vernon, British Columbia (50.3 N, 120.5 W)
04/13/96..........Kamloops, British Columbia (50.75 N, 120.5)
04/17/96..........Fort St. John, British Columbia (56.20 N, 121.10 W)
From COLORADO:
March 22, 1996
The first robin was sighted on March 22 then we started seeing a lot of
robins April 1 Our elevation is 9,000 feet the latitude is 38 longitude is
106. Erin Fowler.
Susan Hoffman, Crested Butte school ,Crested Butte, CO
shoffman@teal.csn.org
From ONTARIO:
April 1, 1996
Hi! I saw my first robin of the year on the morning of April 1. It was
hopping along a driveway in Thornhill, Ontario. Thornhill is just
north of Toronto. My son Ben tells me that he saw robins several
times while on his way to school during the last week of March. The
school is in Richmond Hill which is just a little bit further north
of Toronto. Hopefully the robins were not bothered by the snow we
had on Easter.
Stuart Ferrie, sferrie@arf.org
From MINNESOTA:
April 5-9, 1996
Several students saw robins over the Easter Holiday, from April 5-9.
third grade students.
Gail Williams
Vandyke Elementary, Coleraine, MN
0316vel@InforMNs.k12.mn.us
From ONTARIO:
April 5-6, 1996
Journey North:
On April 5-6 my family and I were at our cottage on Kapikog Lake.
The lake is located about 20 miles south of Parry Sound, Ontario
near the east shore of Georgian Bay. On Friday April 5 we saw a
robin. Its breast was quite bright red in colour. The ground is
still about 50% snow covered, so I hope he was able to find food.
The weather was cool (about 38 F) and sunny with a light north wind.
We are following the Journey North reports and can hardly wait for
more signs of spring to arrive! sferrie@arf.org
From MICHIGAN:
April 10, 1996
Hi, Everyone in the class began seeing the robins the middle of last
week which would be about the10th of April. They have been hanging
around areas that have apples still hanging on the trees from last
fall. It is snowing and has been all day. We already have another
accumulation of 3-4 inches to add to the couple of feet that are
still on the ground. There are no signs of spring other than the
arrival of the robin. We are certainly enjoying working on this
project. Patti Sabotta, Iron Mountain, Michigan psabotta@up.net
From BRITISH COLUMBIA:
April 11,1996
The weather was warm and rainy and the robins were on the road in the early
morning. Maybe they were finding worms there. Tyler Fehr
Mrs. Lori Boychuk, Decker Lake, Elementary Burns Lake, B.C.
lboychuk @cln.etc. bc.ca
From MINNESOTA
April 11, 1996
Three students in Mr. Stoxen's Pequot Lakes Third Grade reported
seeing Robins near their homes this past week. We have had a few warm days
in Northern Minnesota so far. However, today their is a chance of more
snow. We are hoping to see more robins SOON!!!! Sincerely, Molly
Wilson, Danny Goerges, Kelsy Vangen Pequot Lakes, MN pls1@link.uslink.net
From BRITISH COLUMBIA:
April 17, 1996
I am please to say the bush in front of my kitchen table was "alive"
with small birds. On Wednesday, April 17th,1996 at 6:30 AM the
first robin was spotted in Fort St John area at Charlie Lake (56.20
N 121.10 W). Last week I returned from a trip through the Okanagan
Valley. I saw robins in all these spots before April 13th: Penticton
(49.5N, 119.5W), Kelowna (50.0N, 119.1 W), Vernon (50.3 N, 120.5 W)
and Kamloops 50.75 N, 120.5 ).
Brian Low Northern B.C.Distance Education School
Fort St. John, B.C., Canada
blow@toolpush.schdist60.bc.ca
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ROBIN NOTES:
From MINNESOTA:
April 7,1996
A friend of mine in Detroit Lakes, MN reported to me when we were visiting
over Easter vacation, that she has been watching a robin all winter.
Apparently the robin has stayed around all winter and has been seeking
shelter in some thick evergreens. This must be a hardy robin because it
has been a rough winter in midwestern MN.
Our class here in Mankato is reporting many robin sightings especially from
this past week-end.
cfox1@Franklin.ISD77.K12.MN.US (Carolyn Fox)
From MINNESOTA:
April 10, 1996
Since Easter Sunday we have seen at least 40 Robins. We are starting to
see many migratory birds. Here is a list of what we have seen. Great Blue
Herons, Goldeneye ducks, Bufflehead ducks, Ringneck ducks, Lesser Scaup
ducks, Hooded mergansers ducks, Killdeer, and seagulls.
Mr. Minerich's fourth grade class, Pequot Lakes Elem.,Pequot Lakes ,Mn.
jmineric@informns.k12.mn.us
From ALASKA
April 11, 1996
No robins in Glennallen yet! We are located north of Valdez, Alaska
and we will keep you posted on our local robin migrations. We check
the mail daily so the day we recieve your information will also be
the day when we reply. We are anxious to read your next update. Our
high was 55 degrees yesterday and every day we creep closer and
closer to the 36 degree isotherm. Our average is extremely close
(in the thirties) and snow is melting everywhere. Food will be
available extremely soon and the robins will begin to find it more
and more pleasant.
Glennallen Junior High School
Glennallen, Alaska
Dan & John jszarzi@igc2.igc.apc.org
From MINNESOTA:
April 11, 1996
Lots of robin sightings this week by our class. Laura reported seeing 4 or
5 males flying and diving at each other, (fighting for territory?), Jessica
reported watching and listening to a loud conversation between a bluejay
and male robin, and Brandon observed some nest building...robins also seem
to be doing alot of pecking for earthworms. We don't think the robins will
enjoy our weather this weekend though, as we went from a high of 71 degrees
yesterday to 30s and snow (several inches predicted) today!
Laura Heeter, Brandon Robinson, Jessica Lescher
Kust, Breck,Minneapolis,MN
dakus@breck.pvt.k12.mn.us
From MINNESOTA:
April 13,1996
From the fourth grade classes of Valley View Elementary School, our teacher
Mrs.Stitt saw about 20 robins in her driveway on 4\13/96. We had other
people report that they saw robins in their yard. It is starting to get
warmer in Minnesota. We live in Columbia Heights, a suburb of Minneapolis.
We hope to hear from other people that saw robins. By John Moseychuk and
Ted Kubalak.
0013vvel@voyager.informns.k12.mn.us
From WISCONSIN:
April 13, 1996
We are first graders from Cadott Elementary School. Our town is
known for for being Halfway between the Equator and the North Pole.
We live in Cadott, Wisconsin. We have had a lot of snow. We have
had snow since the end of October and may get more this weekend. We
missed six days of school and have to make-up four of them. Before
we tell you about robins, we have seen other signs of spring. We
have seen geese flying north. WE have seen and heard Killdeer, red-
wing blackbirds, and bald eagles. Some of the rivers have opened up,
but the lakes are still covered with ice.Robins have been seen in
some of our backyards, on the school playground, and in the fields.
Mrs. Lenbom's first grade class, Cadott, Wisconsin
jlenbom@cadottelwi.cerf.fred.org
From MICHIGAN:
April 16, 1996
This mourning I was walking to school when I looked over and saw 10 robins
sitting near a pile of food. Thear was also a rabbit and every time another
bird would land the rabbit would chase the bird away.
Katie Verville Iron River West Iron County Middle (WIC 6th Grade Science)
pjohnson@up.net
From NORTH CAROLINA:
April 19, 1996
We are located in the foothills of North Carolina, and can see the
mountains from our school. A 45 minute drive takes us into the Blue Ridge
Mountain area. After talking about the reasons the robins were so late
appearing at our school, this is what we came up with:
1. Perhaps there's not as much food (worms, bugs, etc.) for them on our school campus.
2. Perhaps all of the kids and noise scares them away.
3. We have a relatively new school building with few trees around it, so
there are not many nests for them to return to or trees for them to perch on.
If you have any other ideas, we'd like to hear them. Thank you.
Ms. Swaim's 2nd grade
JSGamewell@aol.com
From NEW JERSEY:
Beginning of April 1996
We have been observing robins all month! It is exciting to see these birds
look for homes and food. We saw 35 robins outside last week. We had an
April snow, so we think the birds were quickly looking for something to
eat. Grant and his family spotted a robin in their driveway. It was a cool
morning. Grant thinks he was probably looking for food. In the beginning
of April, Megan saw a robin in her backyard. It was about 60 degrees
outside. Meg saw it about 5:15 pm. Hope also saw a robin early in the
month. She saw it in her yard, and it was about 56 degrees. Ren and his
mom saw an "Early Bird". They saw a robin early in the morning in the
yard. Also early in the month, Kristin saw 9 robins at 4:10 in Hamilton
Square on the front lawn of the Greek church!! They were hopping around.
Kristin thinks they were looking for food. William saw a robin in his
neighbor's yard. It was a rainy and cold day. William spotted the robin
in a tree. He thinks the bird may have been cold! David also spotted an
"Early Bird" looking for worms! It was at 7:30 in the morning on April 17th.
Annie saw 8 robins on the ground yesterday. Brian was busy!! He spotted
10 robins outside in his backyard. On April 8th, Eileen saw three robins.
It was only 30 degrees outside! Eileen does not think the robins expected
that temperature!!
Miss Ladd's class
Toll Gate Grammar School, Pennington ,NJ
Miss_Laddhvrsd.k12.nj.us
How to Respond to Challenge Question # 95 :
1. Send an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line write: Challenge Question # 95
3. In the Body of your message, answer this question:
"Exactly how was DDT getting into the worms robins were eating?"
(Clue: Chapter 8: "And No Birds Sing")
The Next Robin Update Will be Posted on May 7, 1996
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