Forget Groundhog Day!

Hey Everyone,

Growing up in northeast Ohio the welcome indicator of springs approach was always the American Robin. A small number of the birds overwintered, but for the most part, November marked the calendar for an extended trip south for the winter.  Their pleasant return home in mid-February was a sure sign of winter's end, wrapped with the promise of warmer and less snowy days ahead.  While those over in Punxsutawney waited with anticipation to see what Phil (famous groundhog) had to say, our family had their own more reliable signs of seasons close to transition.  

Welcome to my trees little robin!

Times have changed over the last 20 years since making our move to Georgia.  Our friends and family back home say they now see more and more of the birds overwintering no matter how much the snow flies. According to the National Audubon Society, the numbers of robins remaining home for the winter has increased dramatically.  In the early seventies, you would see tallies of less than 5,000 birds remaining.  Now those same counts are closer to 30,000 birds forgoing their winter trip.                                                                                                             Over the years, many in the area have tried to point the finger as climate change being the mysterious culprit for their slowed migration south.  However, studies have shown that warming temperatures are playing only a minor factor, if any at all.  The true incentive in keeping the robins at home seems to be the increase and takeover of non-native plant species such as the invasive bush honeysuckle.

When the weather turns cold, robins switch their diet to mainly fruits and berries. Hawthorns, ornamental crabapples, and berry-producing shrubs offer a wonderful buffet from which they feast.                                                                                           Unfortunately, over the last few decades non-native bush honeysuckles have become rampant.  They take over much of the forest and produce a bumper crop of berries enticing the birds to stay put for the winter.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife states that the berries produced by these invasive honeysuckles are low in both lipids and proteins.  These nutrients are vital for providing birds with long-term sustenance when facing harsh winters.  If heavy ice or snowstorms prevent the birds from eating, they will not have the stored energy reserves from a high quality diet to ride out prolonged periods of bad weather.  This can bring havoc to the species. 

Over the last several days, hundreds of robins have flocked to the yard feasting on the fruit of the Cleveland Pears and berries of the Savannah Holly trees.  I am all too happy offering a wholesome meal before they make the long trek back to a place once called home.  I hope that the enticement of something high in nutrients will bring them back come next November.  In a life where change is constant there is comfort in knowing that some robins will still make the intelligent choice to fly south for the winter.  Even with snow on the ground, eyes are still drawn to the trees with simple joy found in the quintessential harbinger of spring who holds such a special place in my heart.  Punxsutawney Phil has an important day this weekend, but for those cooped up inside maybe needing an answer early; the cusp of spring is just around the corner.

Enjoy the unusual snow,

Denise, Beds 25 & 29