Harbinger Of Spring Or Misguided Instinct?
When I saw this robin fly past my dining room window this morning, I could hardly believe my eyes. But when he came back, landed on the wire leading to the street lamp and surveyed all the goldfinches, pine siskins and redpolls busy at the feeders below him, there was no doubt about it! He stayed here in this position long enough for me to get my camera and grab six shots of him through the glass. (I really do have to get those windows cleaned). I know they rarely, if ever, use the feeders, but I thought for a minute there he intended to make use of the heated birdbath.
Last year I saw the first robin on April 14th ... but, since we had a great winter last year, all the snow was gone by then and the crocuses were up. This year we have mountains of snow remaining and we even had flurries again only a short while ago. About the only sizeable patch of bare ground anywhere in sight is my backyard where I plowed it out with the Argo so that I could get my trailer out. Shortly after seeing this one, I noticed two more on that bare patch of grass.
The Latin name Turdus migratorius comes from two words 'Turdus' which means thrush and migratorius which comes from the word migrare which means 'to go'. Well, lets just hope these beautiful little birds didn't 'go' up north too early or they might just have to start changing their habits and start visiting the feeders. :-)
They were a joy to see though, let me assure you. In fact, anyone who experiences our northern winter can't help but get a little lift when these little creatures put in their first appearance.
Harbinger Of Spring Or Misguided Instinct?
When I saw this robin fly past my dining room window this morning, I could hardly believe my eyes. But when he came back, landed on the wire leading to the street lamp and surveyed all the goldfinches, pine siskins and redpolls busy at the feeders below him, there was no doubt about it! He stayed here in this position long enough for me to get my camera and grab six shots of him through the glass. (I really do have to get those windows cleaned). I know they rarely, if ever, use the feeders, but I thought for a minute there he intended to make use of the heated birdbath.
Last year I saw the first robin on April 14th ... but, since we had a great winter last year, all the snow was gone by then and the crocuses were up. This year we have mountains of snow remaining and we even had flurries again only a short while ago. About the only sizeable patch of bare ground anywhere in sight is my backyard where I plowed it out with the Argo so that I could get my trailer out. Shortly after seeing this one, I noticed two more on that bare patch of grass.
The Latin name Turdus migratorius comes from two words 'Turdus' which means thrush and migratorius which comes from the word migrare which means 'to go'. Well, lets just hope these beautiful little birds didn't 'go' up north too early or they might just have to start changing their habits and start visiting the feeders. :-)
They were a joy to see though, let me assure you. In fact, anyone who experiences our northern winter can't help but get a little lift when these little creatures put in their first appearance.