before seeing the content of this post, I saw the title and thought to myself, "I sure hope this is about the American Robin" and indeed, it was! really appreciated this post and especially loved your sharing of what their latin name really means. ;) I like to tell people I study migratory turds. If you ever you want to do a reprise on this common and underrated bird, happy to share some of the cool movement data we've gleaned from tracking them over the last 7 years. :)
Merlin bird app told me twice that an American Robin was nearby. However, I've never seen one here in Southern California. Interesting how common they are said to be.
In early December of 2006, an X9 (extremely powerful) solar flare smacked the earth head on, causing massive Pacific cyclones to form, make landfall, and take out a huge portion of the power grid in WA and OR, 14-15 December.
Unfortunately the UW-Seattle has taken down the excellent "Storm King" web site that detailed such things for two decades, to replace it with the latest in Muh Climate propaganda. :^| So I can't link it here...but anyway here's the Large, Charismatic, and Orange connection:
The morning after winds roared through my area, gusting to nearly 70 mph, with massive timberfall, my darling and I made our way over to the nearby college campus as part of our checking-out-the-situation rounds. (Wooh, it was bad.)
There, on a grassy area next to one of the big campus buildings, were an entire fleet of these perky gleaners, moving across the lawn area, as calm and easy as you please. Looking/listening, diving for wormies.
We had had 24 inches of rain the previous month, so everything was well sodden before the windstorm, which is why so much timber came down (in addition to the usual wind-pruning).
But these lil folk--unlike humans--were taking it all in stride.
All through that night of roaring and crashing and waiting, my darling and I couldn't stop thinking of the Forest birbs out in it, with nothing between them and the tempest but their spirits, their tiny toes, their feathers, their ancestral experience of repeated planetary doom events....
So seeing that field of robins that morning still ranks in my mind as a top miracle ever witnessed.
Right now we have two kinds of thrushes a-scootling--robins, and our winter visitors from the uplands, the Varied Thrush. Today I saw the first buds on the salmonberry, which means that Swainson's Thrushes should be returning in 6-8 weeks.
before seeing the content of this post, I saw the title and thought to myself, "I sure hope this is about the American Robin" and indeed, it was! really appreciated this post and especially loved your sharing of what their latin name really means. ;) I like to tell people I study migratory turds. If you ever you want to do a reprise on this common and underrated bird, happy to share some of the cool movement data we've gleaned from tracking them over the last 7 years. :)
Migratory turd had me giggling 😂
Merlin bird app told me twice that an American Robin was nearby. However, I've never seen one here in Southern California. Interesting how common they are said to be.
This is what happens when there is an American robin here - https://www.birdguides.com/articles/rare-birds/rarity-finders-american-robin-in-east-sussex/
Delightful. Love these guys immeasurably.
In early December of 2006, an X9 (extremely powerful) solar flare smacked the earth head on, causing massive Pacific cyclones to form, make landfall, and take out a huge portion of the power grid in WA and OR, 14-15 December.
Unfortunately the UW-Seattle has taken down the excellent "Storm King" web site that detailed such things for two decades, to replace it with the latest in Muh Climate propaganda. :^| So I can't link it here...but anyway here's the Large, Charismatic, and Orange connection:
The morning after winds roared through my area, gusting to nearly 70 mph, with massive timberfall, my darling and I made our way over to the nearby college campus as part of our checking-out-the-situation rounds. (Wooh, it was bad.)
There, on a grassy area next to one of the big campus buildings, were an entire fleet of these perky gleaners, moving across the lawn area, as calm and easy as you please. Looking/listening, diving for wormies.
We had had 24 inches of rain the previous month, so everything was well sodden before the windstorm, which is why so much timber came down (in addition to the usual wind-pruning).
But these lil folk--unlike humans--were taking it all in stride.
All through that night of roaring and crashing and waiting, my darling and I couldn't stop thinking of the Forest birbs out in it, with nothing between them and the tempest but their spirits, their tiny toes, their feathers, their ancestral experience of repeated planetary doom events....
So seeing that field of robins that morning still ranks in my mind as a top miracle ever witnessed.
Right now we have two kinds of thrushes a-scootling--robins, and our winter visitors from the uplands, the Varied Thrush. Today I saw the first buds on the salmonberry, which means that Swainson's Thrushes should be returning in 6-8 weeks.
Great write up, I love robins. Everyone thinks they migrate but we had a few all winter here in NE Ohio.
Happy I found this.
They’re back! Robins attack my front windows in early morning as sun shines on it and turns it into a mirror.
I love it when I see my first few robins in the spring! Thanks for the post
Oh the poor birds to be stuck with that Latin description...that's terrible.