Valentine's Day + 1 = first robin

American Robin ~ Turdus migratorius

No sooner had I written about a Bluebird being spotted, on the north shore of Lake Erie, about 10 days ago, when today I came across the robin you see pictured above, at the Cold Creek Conservation Area on the 11th Concession of King Township.   I quickly took a few photos and immediately began to wonder what this bird was going to live on for the next couple of months.   I didn't need to look any further than an adjoining bush (right) which was covered in small, black, partly dehydrated berries.   There was a large supply, enough to keep one robin going for quite a while, methinks.   I hope he, or she, survives to claim the prize for being 'first in port' or first on the breeding grounds, come the spring.   Sometimes, the fruit and berry crop from a particularly abundant year is enough to sustain robins which decide not to migrate south.   I don't think 2010 was one of those years around here, though.   So I believe the robin I photographed (above) is really an early bird.   Please comment if you wish.     

BtheB                                                                                     Photos by BarrytheBirder