Who’s Out There? Rockin’ Robin!

Throughout my journey in the Northwest, every morning, no matter where I was, how deep in the woods or shouldered by a road, a Robin serenaded me as the new day started. Their simple song, like a high pitched baby’s gurgle, showers contentment on all who hear.

They’re like the cheerleaders of the planet, always melodying and excited about something. I saw them out stalking earthworms as the ground lay covered in snow on the first morning of my Northwest adventure, just the robins and me, the people all tucked in their warm homes.

This orange breasted bird is the first sign of spring in my mountain town. When they show up, I know the snow is going away and May flowers will soon take over as ground cover.

And it’s true, Robins are often the first bird to return from their winter home, because they follow a 37 degree isotherm north in the spring, and south in the fall. I think if it was me I’d follow the 60 degree isotherm!

If you get to be the first one to see a Robin, then start playing the lottery, according to folklore, that means you’re going to have lots of luck!

I love the way Robins skitter down a forest service road, just waiting for the right sound. Are they hearing the worm tunneling in the ground, can they feel their movement in their feet? Do the worms know they’re being stalked and try to hold still when a Robin approaches? The scientists aren’t sure. They think the Robin hears the sound of dirt moving underground, but it’s also possible they FEEL the movement in their feet.

I’ve tried offering them food. Even mealworms, but they seem happy to get their own meal, thank you. Maybe if I did a little digging while I was offering the dried meal worm, they’d snatch it up.

And the Robin doesn’t only eat worms, they eat the stuff we don’t want in our gardens too, like snails and slugs!

Even though the Robin is the most common bird in North American, when you see a Robin, you can be impressed, as the odds of that bird making it to adulthood were pretty slim. Only 25% of Robin eggs make it to adulthood.

The much loved Robin is the state bird of three states, Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin. So I guess I’m not the only one who is excited about the Robin.

What do you think of when you hear Robin’s song?