Robins of Winter



I've learned much about the robins and winter residents this month.  The first thing is that if you give robins blueberries you might as well go buy a bunch more of frozen ones.  Once they've had frozen blueberries they give you the bird eye until you give them more.  I do provide many choices:  chopped apple, oatmeal, sunflower chips, raisins, grapes, mealy worms.  They eat them all.  But don't ever start with blueberries.

Robins also get very domineering and territorial.  One will decide that the feeding area is his or hers alone.  It becomes a chase and fight zone.  So be prepared to shovel snow and create various spots in the yard so that more robins can become land owners.

Two days ago I went out early and the robins were waiting.  The frenzy started so I stepped back thinking I would get a nice photo (which I did.)  The surprise came when one of the fleeing robins decided to land on my head.  I was startled but stayed composed in spite of the worry that it would poop on my hoodie.  (It did not.)  I was posed to take a photo with camera at eye level which meant that after about 20 seconds my body required a shift.  It flew then.  This has never happened to me before.  What I would have given for a photo of that!

The next morning I went out before dawn to spread the food  before the fighters arrived.  Tripped over something hidden in the snow!!! I spilled a lot of bird food, but nothing else was damaged.  We've had a February record snowfall which made my landing kind of cushy.

Another revelation is that when the starling come flying in a swarm that one can step out on the patio and yell NO STARLING.  They will all fly away while the robins, flickers, varied thrush, and various small birds don't.  People must yell so much at starling that they are triggered easily.   The starling do get their fill though.  I stop yelling at them after I think MY birds get their morning and evening fill.  I've got to find some cheaper food that the starling will chow on.

Crows and magpie stop by.  They are native birds so we don't yell at them.  The invasive Eurasian Collared Doves fly in after cooing in the trees awhile.  They've discouraged my favorite mourning doves from visiting.

The Northern Flickers join in the treats, but they also drill little holes all around the area that is swept free of the snow.

The other birds I see daily are Chickadee, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Junco, and House Finch.  Sometimes I see a Golden-crowned Sparrow and a White-crowed Sparrow in the group.

As much as we're looking forward to a break in this cold spell, it has been a bird blessing!


Comments

Far Side of Fifty said…
Interesting that they will eat blueberries! You at least have a sign of spring:)
8:38 PM, March 02, 2019
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