Date: 01/30/2005

Number: 1

I don't remember a time in which I haven't seen robins chasing around in the yard this winter. Nor last year(2003-2004) for that matter. But since I just received the email announcing the 12th Annual Winter Robin Round-up I'll use Sunday January 30, 2005 as the first date because I sat and watched them while hoping the Cooper's Hawk that visited my tree at 12:57PM would come back again that afternoon. Too bad it didn't stick around a few minutes longer I would've had a perfect Kodak Moment captured on film. I had set up my Hawk Feeder (a bag of birdseed scattered in the snow in the middle of the lawn ;) about a week ago.

But as far as the Robins' feeding habits were concerned I did observe them digging in the shallow snow in the flower garden below the living room window. I spooked them a bit when they finally saw me peering down at them with my nose pressed up against the window. They bolted to the trees without me being able to see what they were eating. It did sort of look like they were digging down for worms because
there's nothing else there but dirt and some dormant Honeysuckle vines.

It looked as though they had dug out a good
handful of dirt. Most of the Robins flew off from the same spot, I imagine
they were working together in some manner to get far enough down in the dirt
to reach some worms. I haven't observed them eating anything per se but
they sure enjoy chasing one another throught the trees. The timing of the
Round Up couldn't be more coincidental as I was just commenting to my Mom
the other day that it makes it difficult to use Robins as the first sign of
Spring when they never even leave for the Winter anymore. There were at
least 10 Robins flitting about in the back yard chasing one another around
and about 4 of them digging the hole in the flower garden.

Canton, MI

Latitude: 42.3 Longitude: -83.5

Observed by: Nathan
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.