Can somebody help me read Robins? I always thought that seeing a bunch of robins means that spring is near, but the past couple of seasons, they have arrived about a week before single digit temperatures and a big snowstorm. This year is no different. Last week I was so excited to see over a dozen robins picking at the small fruit on the crab-apple trees and flying off to the forest nearby. Just a couple of days later the temperatures dropped into the twenties for high temperatures and single digits at night with windchills below zero. Today, we have a big snowstorm and near-blizzard conditions. What gives?
Unfortunately, the birds don't read the birding books, and don't follow the rules. This year has been so strange with weather shifts and patterns that migratory routes and bird behavior has been affected. What gives? We'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, make sure there is food for the birds, and with the nearby forest, they will have shelter. If you can provide water (not frozen!) that would help also.
My flock has been about average with nite time temps in the 20`s and day time in the 60`s ! Take care in New England with the blizzard ! Stay in and stay warm !!
We always have robins here but they make themselves known this time of the year and birds pair up at this time.
Interesting. I guess since last month was so mild, and the thaw should be coming soon, maybe they've been around but were only out getting food to prepare for the coming storm. I can speculate all I want, but I'm still not going to know. Oh well. If only Dr. Doolittle were around to ask them for me... If it were so simple that various creatures could foretell the way seasons were going to play out, we wouldn't have the gardener's motto "there's always next year."