Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Robins in Winter

In the summer Robins usually appear on our lawns singly or in pairs. However in the spring large flocks of Robins move north. I have seen several hundred of them settle on our lawn or the field next to us on any spot that's bare of snow. They are there for a short time and then, when the food supply is exhausted, move on.  In the winter populations usually shift south and local ones are replaced by those from further north. When the ground is frozen they switch from invertebrates to fruit. Flocks migrate to areas where fruit and berries on the trees are plentiful which can vary from year to year.

I had never actually seen wintering Robins, or at least not been aware of them, until last winter when small flocks appeared in our area in Southern VT. They were feasting on fruit in the trees and on the ground. Once the fruit was gone they moved on.













Thanks for stopping by. I wish you all, dear Readers and Followers, happy holidays and a peaceful and productive new year!


21 comments:

  1. Excellent images. We have a few that over winter in Ontario as well. They seem to do fine with winter berries.

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  2. I think you had a couple of them posing for you! LOL

    They are all fantastic pictures! But my favorite is the first one--superb!

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  3. Great images! Looks like your berry laden trees are keeping them quite happy!

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  4. These little robins look wonderful! The last two photos are great shots with lovely lighting highlighting the feather detail!

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  5. Much under estimated; these birds male, female, and immatures are great to see and have around.Here they're the first sign of spring even if there is a blizzard going on. Good photos. Boom & Gary.

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  6. An amazing series of photos Hilke! Our Robins in Michigan are long gone. What I find remarkable is what good shape your Robins are in. The Robins we send south are thread bare and dull looking while yours seem rejuvinated. Stellar focus, colors , poses, everything.
    Thank you for your kind friendship, counsel, and inspiration! Happy Holidays to you!

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  7. It's funny you posted about robins- I've just started noticing them again around the yard after a bit of an absence. It must be new migrants who have moved in for a while.

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  8. Hilke (and i copy you all into this post. I have a very important (for me) statement to make. As a child growing up in the UK and 8 years old in 1964 when the film Mary Poppins was released I have always queried the size of the Robin in the film. As a child in 1960's England i had never seen such an unrealastic Robin the size of a Blackbird and that memory has always been with me. I now realise for the first time that the Robin in the film was used for the viewers of the film in the USA. I am slow and stupid and your Robins are so beautiful. You live and learn lol XX

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  9. Great pics, Hilke. I'm a 'wintering Robin,' though not 'wintering robin.' Ha! Oddly, we have not seen a one here in a month. I was looking, even expecting for our Christmas Bird Count which took place on the 18th. But, lo, not a one. We covered 72 miles, too. There hasn't been any snow here on the coast, so I think they don't need to bother with thte Winterberry and rose hips which they love. I loved the photos! Merry Christmas to you and yours, RRR

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  10. Great to see YOUR Robins enjoying a feast Hilke. Our Robin is rarely other than in ones and twos and as theconstantwalker says much, much smaller.

    Christmas Blessings to you and the family ... FAB.

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  11. The photo of the first Robin does not look to happy. I wonder if he thought he should have flew further south!

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  12. One of the things I like about winter birdingis that I appreciate species like robins more because I'm not so preoccupied with trying to find as many migrants as possible like I do in the spring.
    Nice photos capturing the action-It looks like quite the fruit massacre going on there!

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  13. ...beautiful images. I LOVE watching our robins feast on the berries around our house. A few of our robins stay year round. I can usually find them munching on the invasive honeysuckle along the river. The honeysuckle has definitely helped our wintering populations!

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  14. Lovely shots of your Robin Hilke.
    They are so different to ours like theconstantwalker says.

    He does look sad in the first; not liking the snow perhaps.

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  15. LOL mayybe he is cold , bless him. I like your Robins better than our English ones, We are lucky to usually have a pair nest in next doors hedge, they are very protective of their territory. Have a good Christmas, XXX Don

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  16. Great pics! I love the first one, almost like an angry stare because you are taking his picture.

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  17. Wonderful photos! I had a robin living in a flowering crab tree one mild winter. This tree was heavily laden with fruit. He stayed the duration and claimed it for his private residence and food larder.

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  18. I need to be on the look-out for these down here in Northern VA.

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  19. Those are very cool shots! I love the color contrast between the birds and the snow--very Christmas-y!

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  20. I am kind of flabbergasted; I have not received this many comments ever. It must be a present for the holidays! Thank you all!

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  21. Love the robins! Your photos are great! Here in SC we get Robins year round but more in Winter & Spring-

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