Wow! I do not know how you could tell those are all Robins, but that's so cool! Beautiful photos.
My husband and I were just remarking last week that the Robins never left this year. I always watch for my first Spring Robin, but for the first time ever that I remember, they never left.
Well, I spent a lot of time looking through binoculars, I took photos and zoomed in, and everything I saw was robins. Also, blackbirds fly very differently than robins. So there could have been a few other birds mixed in but they were probably 99% robins anyway! it has been a strange winter!
I've never seen flocks of robins. In the UK they are a small garden bird and you only tend to see one of them. They're pretty fearless - they will often hop around very close if I'm out doing some gardening.
Cali, in most places here they are small garden birds you only see a few at a time. And they are fearless here too! Especially if they build a nest. In a previous home I had blackberry bushes. The robins would build their nest under my deck, right above the blackberry bushes. I never got to eat the blackberries, as they would dive bomb my head.
If you like dragons, (and reading) you might enjoy some of the dragon series by Robin Hobb. I've read the Liveship Traders Trilogy and Rain Wild Chronicles....both excellent...and plan to read more of her novels. And like you, I'm hoping the year of the wood dragon breathes some sanity into our world.
So glad you had the video running when all of those robins were flying over. Who would believe you saw soooooo many. I wonder why 'robins to the rescue' came to my mind as I watched it? I wonder how such a huge flock is formed? Has it just built it up as they flew with more robins joining when they saw the flock passing over? You might enjoy Joan Strassmann's book Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard. I learned so much about many of our common birds that was all news to me! Including her section on robins. Yes, there is something that speaks of being a dragon in your wonderful heron picture! I am absolutely bathing in your spectacular sunrise pics!
I know, I figured no one would believe my eBird post without some proof. I like "robins to the rescue", that's interesting. And I'm not sure how it has formed! Thank you Sandy!
That is incredible Karen - I have never seen that many Robins just in the 2-minute video, let alone 19 minutes worth of them flying past. Nature must have a reason for the Robins to have had a good year last year and have so many survive into 2024. Happy belated Lunar New Year as well!
Wow! Both the robins and your thoughts on the Year of the Dragon, wood, resilience and generosity. Thank you for the inspiration.
Walking in the half-dark before dawn the day before yesterday, I heard a big gust of wind from behind me, but when I looked up, it was a flock of about a hundred piñon jays going by low. The noise I thought was a gust of wind was the sound of their wings. As they passed, they began to call in their neighing voices, which amplified the whooshing of their wings. Not thousands and thousands of robins, but still a spiritual experience!
They are blue all over except for their bellies, and they have these wonderfully whinnying voices, kind of like heh-heh-heh. And because they live, forage and raise their young in big flocks from dozens to hundreds of birds, they "talk" continuously as they fly.
Love what you are learning by attending to resilience and generosity -- that inflow/outflow movement again. And your drawing of "dancing with the dragon" is stupendous! Reminds me of Beauty and the Beast. Isn't there also an Oriental saying for good luck, "May your house be full of dragons"?
It's just mind-blowing to me to see robins in these sorts of numbers!!! Where I live (northern Indiana) it's exciting to see 3 - 4 at one time, and they're usually picking things out of my yard then :) I saw one on my neighbor's fence last week and it gave me great joy for the hope of Spring to come!
I've always loved dragons, and somehow always thought they'd be forces of good--even the fiercest looking ones. Misunderstood, certainly!
Karen, it's so lovely that you've mentioned robins as they are a big sign for me that everything is going to be ok. I've seen one in my garden this week. I've never seen that many! I've noticed that the robins that you've got there are very different from the ones we get in the UK.
Wow! I do not know how you could tell those are all Robins, but that's so cool! Beautiful photos.
My husband and I were just remarking last week that the Robins never left this year. I always watch for my first Spring Robin, but for the first time ever that I remember, they never left.
Well, I spent a lot of time looking through binoculars, I took photos and zoomed in, and everything I saw was robins. Also, blackbirds fly very differently than robins. So there could have been a few other birds mixed in but they were probably 99% robins anyway! it has been a strange winter!
I really truly admire your steadfastness in getting up to walk to the lake before sunrise. I am living vicariously through what you share. Thank you!
Thank you Jeanne! It’s a little easier when sunrise is after 7 than when it’s before 6!
The enormous flock of robins is amazing, as is your drawing of the dragon. I think they’re misunderstood too. 🐉❤️
Thank you!
Happy Year of the Dragon! I loved this post, with its amazing video of robins and some wonderful photos and reflections.
Thank you Jeffrey!
What a spectacular sunrise! How wonderful to have witnessed it in person and then fortunate for us that you take such beautiful captures :)
Thank you Jodie!
Very interesting…😍❤️👍
Thank you Sharon!
I've never seen flocks of robins. In the UK they are a small garden bird and you only tend to see one of them. They're pretty fearless - they will often hop around very close if I'm out doing some gardening.
I found this - I didn't know your robins were so much smaller! https://www.audubon.org/news/ask-kenn-kaufman-are-american-robins-really-robins#:~:text=Our%20American%20Robin%20really%20isn,classified%20in%20the%20same%20family.
Cali, in most places here they are small garden birds you only see a few at a time. And they are fearless here too! Especially if they build a nest. In a previous home I had blackberry bushes. The robins would build their nest under my deck, right above the blackberry bushes. I never got to eat the blackberries, as they would dive bomb my head.
That video is absolutely incredible!
Thank you Thomas!
If you like dragons, (and reading) you might enjoy some of the dragon series by Robin Hobb. I've read the Liveship Traders Trilogy and Rain Wild Chronicles....both excellent...and plan to read more of her novels. And like you, I'm hoping the year of the wood dragon breathes some sanity into our world.
Ohhhhhh! I mean, not only is it dragons, but written by Robin! I will have to check it out! Thank you Linda.
You're very welcome. Karen.
What a beautiful set of photos and of reflections. I'm grateful for your newsletter in my inbox. It's like an actual breath of fresh air!
Thank you Rebecca!
So glad you had the video running when all of those robins were flying over. Who would believe you saw soooooo many. I wonder why 'robins to the rescue' came to my mind as I watched it? I wonder how such a huge flock is formed? Has it just built it up as they flew with more robins joining when they saw the flock passing over? You might enjoy Joan Strassmann's book Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard. I learned so much about many of our common birds that was all news to me! Including her section on robins. Yes, there is something that speaks of being a dragon in your wonderful heron picture! I am absolutely bathing in your spectacular sunrise pics!
I know, I figured no one would believe my eBird post without some proof. I like "robins to the rescue", that's interesting. And I'm not sure how it has formed! Thank you Sandy!
That is incredible Karen - I have never seen that many Robins just in the 2-minute video, let alone 19 minutes worth of them flying past. Nature must have a reason for the Robins to have had a good year last year and have so many survive into 2024. Happy belated Lunar New Year as well!
Thank you Neil!
Wow! Both the robins and your thoughts on the Year of the Dragon, wood, resilience and generosity. Thank you for the inspiration.
Walking in the half-dark before dawn the day before yesterday, I heard a big gust of wind from behind me, but when I looked up, it was a flock of about a hundred piñon jays going by low. The noise I thought was a gust of wind was the sound of their wings. As they passed, they began to call in their neighing voices, which amplified the whooshing of their wings. Not thousands and thousands of robins, but still a spiritual experience!
Yes! A flock of birds where you can hear the wings IS a spiritual experience! Very cool. I've never seen a piñon jay! Thank you Susan.
They are blue all over except for their bellies, and they have these wonderfully whinnying voices, kind of like heh-heh-heh. And because they live, forage and raise their young in big flocks from dozens to hundreds of birds, they "talk" continuously as they fly.
Wow! That really does sound like a spiritual experience 🪽
It was really magical. :)
Love what you are learning by attending to resilience and generosity -- that inflow/outflow movement again. And your drawing of "dancing with the dragon" is stupendous! Reminds me of Beauty and the Beast. Isn't there also an Oriental saying for good luck, "May your house be full of dragons"?
Oooh, yes, resilience and generosity are inflow/outflow. Very interesting. I love that, "may your house be full of dragons." Thank you Lauren!
It's just mind-blowing to me to see robins in these sorts of numbers!!! Where I live (northern Indiana) it's exciting to see 3 - 4 at one time, and they're usually picking things out of my yard then :) I saw one on my neighbor's fence last week and it gave me great joy for the hope of Spring to come!
I've always loved dragons, and somehow always thought they'd be forces of good--even the fiercest looking ones. Misunderstood, certainly!
Yes! Except in winter that's how robins are here too. It really is mind-blowing to see them in huge numbers like this!
Karen, it's so lovely that you've mentioned robins as they are a big sign for me that everything is going to be ok. I've seen one in my garden this week. I've never seen that many! I've noticed that the robins that you've got there are very different from the ones we get in the UK.
American robins are different than European robins. I had to look it up and found this: https://www.audubon.org/news/ask-kenn-kaufman-are-american-robins-really-robins#:~:text=Our%20American%20Robin%20really%20isn,classified%20in%20the%20same%20family.
Thank you for sharing that Karen it’s so interesting!