Date: 02/06/2016

Number: 2

We've had a male robin overwintering with us; this weekend he was joined by a female for the first time, and we have also heard him singing.

I believe the song I heard was the "true song." It went on for some time, and as this was also the first time I had seen a female with our overwintering male, the territorial call also makes sense to me despite the earliness of the season.

I'm thinking it was tuning up - wondering if hormone levels have triggered early due to the very mild winter and unseasonably warm weather we've had. He didn't start singing (that I'm aware of) until the female appeared. (We're seeing other early signs of spring, too - our daffodils and hyacinths are coming up, and the peony "thumbs" have emerged in a few sunny spots.)

I have heard him in the early mornings, but not in the past few days. We've had a sudden deep-freeze, with 6 inches of snow and temps in the teens. I'm still seeing him, but he's not been singing to my knowledge.

Cincinnati, OH

Latitude: 39.1 Longitude: -84.5

Observed by: Kathleen
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