There is an American Robin in my back yard today. This is odd…given the fact that it’s December. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Robin in the yard past October here in northern NYS. Now, our temperatures are rather high today (in the 40’s…most of the snow is gone again), but it’s not like this hasn’t happened before, and still I’ve never seen a Robin at this time of year. I always thought they migrated, but I’ve heard they don’t. Does anyone know anything about them? Not that it’s of major importance, I’m just curious.
The Canada Geese also took their time migrating this year. Last week, well over 500 of them flew over our house. They are usually gone at this time as well, with only a few stragglers. There sure as heck isn’t 500+ at one time in December. I think it’s going to be a weird winter.
No, I’ve never seen robins this far north so late in the year. The geese tend to stay if they’re being fed, either by a local conservation authority or by Ducks Unlimited. Also, from what I’ve read, there are multiple populations of each species, so that one group will move south a bit, bumping the group of that same species in the same area down south a bit, and so on; each group displacing the next. In spring it’s reversed.
As for it being a strange winter, we are seeing the same. We’ve had snow on the ground almost continuously from the middle of November, which is about 4-5 weeks early. We are seeing the same very mild weather today you mentioned. It was +10°C this morning but it’s supposed to drop to -10°C this evening (pretty dramatic for one 12 hour period), and then turn cold for the rest of the week. Who knows what the rest of the season will bring?
Robins are one of those birds that migrate due to food pressures rather than in response to weather changes, and they’ll happily stay in the snowy, cold north if there’s an abundant food supply. If there’s an abundant supply of berries/fruits, or lots of generous birdfeeders around you, you may well see robins throughout the winter. I remember seeing them at Christmas when visiting a former girlfriend’s family in New England one year; I loved the splash of their bright orange breasts against the white snow that blanketed everything.
I’ve got robins, too! A bunch of 'em. It’s -6F today, and we got @ 2" of snow last night. What are they eating??? According to Wikipedia, “The American Robin’s diet generally consists of around 40 percent invertebrates, such as beetle grubs, caterpillars and grasshoppers, and 60 percent wild and cultivated fruits and berries.” If “fruits” includes seeds, then this might be understandable, but otherwise it looks like there’s squat for a normal American robin’s diet, here. I know I haven’t been feeding 'em, although the neighbor lady has a bird (seed) feeder out.
I saw a flock of them the other day just north of Albany NY, which is unusual. We just had that big ice storm, and it looked like they were gathering and getting ready to leave town in a hurry!
There are quite a few berries that are borne in winter – snowberries, holly berries, winterberries . . . – and that’s usually the main source of food for fruit-loving critters in cold climes. There’s probably a fair supply of the stuff for them (at least, if they’re hanging around now; the robins may yet move on if they can’t find food in your chilly area).
We’re in the midst of a “cold-snap” here in the SF Bay Area. There are Severe Weather Alerts being posted and everything. It’s in the 40’s where I am now, and will be in the low 30’s at night for a couple days. . . This was put in perspective for me when an uncle called from Montana yesterday, where it was minus-something-or-other. But really cold. So I’m feeling for you folks (and the robins). Brr!
Oh, I am! It’s just odd. It makes me wonder just what kind of winter we’re in for. We have at least 5 more months of it, and if the Robins haven’t left yet, there may be a chance it will be a mild one. At least that’s my hope
Ours left early this year. Now some are back. I dunno. Weird. We’ve had them come back in January before, but this is way off. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be a mild winter at all. Maybe it’s going to be worse in the south?
The Holly bears a berry
That the Robins do love
They stripped the trees to the Foliage
By the raising of the sun
And the flocking of the Waxwings
Has contributed some too
Sweet singing by the Whitethroats
Poor Sam Peabody
Ooo! We have Icterus galbula(e?) in our yard in the summer. One of my favourites. But I don’t think we have any Bombycilla cedrorum. They get this far north?
Y’all can keep yer flashy birds (and yer flashy names fer 'em). I prefer the humble chickadee. They’ve got attitude. We get the black-capped and the chestnut-backed varieties at our backyard feeders, and they also nest in the birdhouses we have hanging from the eaves of our house. Yep, chickadees are my favorites of all our backyard visitors.
It’s just odd. It makes me wonder just what kind of winter we’re in for. We have at least 5 more months of it, and if the Robins haven’t left yet, there may be a chance it will be a mild one. At least that’s my hope 
