Robins May Not Be Harbingers Of Spring
Feb 15, 2011 14:18 - 1 Comment
Although some people might think the marauding crowds of nosy robins are a sign of spring in Rockville, this might not be the case.
Each year my family looks for the arrival of the flock of robins in our front yard. These winged friends throw a loud and dirty party for a few days each February. Yesterday they arrived to celebrate Valentine’s Day and we all wished each other “Happy Robin Day!” This morning they ate with increased merriment and I caught part of the commotion on video.
Last month the Baltimore Sun Maryland Weather blog posted some information on these robins which we see in mid-winter.
Robins, it turns out, are strongly migratory birds, but they breed all over North America. So, there are populations that breed well to our north, for whom Maryland’s coastal plain is “South.” Those that breed here likely migrate in October to the southeastern states, and along the Gulf of Mexico. They return in March and April.
The article quoted David Cursom, director of bird conservation at Audubon Maryland DC:
The groups people are seeing now are part of the wintering population that are moving around. As the weather fluctuates between cold and mild, the robins move accordingly to find food.
I’ve written about the robins in the past for Rockville Central, but couldn’t resist reporting on their arrival in my garden again this year. The warm weather in the 60’s by the end of this week might not mean it’s officially spring yet, but together these occurrences give me hope that we are nearing the end of the cold spell.
I had just one in my ginko up high in the top while the rest were embedded in the neighbors holly, feasting on the berries which are not their first choice of food. I noticed this one because of his pathetic attempt to pretend it was spring when he was obviously to young to do a decent song.