I just saw my first Robin of 2021!!! In February!!! During a bitter cold snow shower!!!

[Siwsan]

I looked out the kitchen window to see if the bird feeders needed filling and there is was! Perched on a bush right outside of the window. I think it winked at me. Now it's all puffed up in the pine tree.

This sighting makes me really happy. I'm going to pretend it means we will have an early Spring. (Truth is, by this time last year, my daffodils were already peeking up through the soil. Definitely not happening this year.)

[SharonClark]

1. That critters survive the winter is amazing.

[Siwsan]

2. And now there are two!

I THINK one male and one female because one's red breast is not as vibrant as the other's. I've never seen Robins this early in the year.

[StClone]

3. Good to Hear! Here on the Prairies

In some years we get American Robins as the first early migrant about now, maybe Red-shouldered Hawk, Common Grackles, or Red-winged Blackbirds. But most likely it is the tough little bird of open areas to be first, usually by the first days of February (or even late January!)...the Horned Lark with its twinkling song and je-jit call.

[Siwsan]

4. I think it's time for me to get a good camera.

So many times I see things that, if I had something with a good zoom, I'd have some amazing photos.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. Where are you?

Robins actually live year round in lots of places.

On edit: I just checked, and robins live year round in most of the country. Here's a link: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/american_robins_harbinger_of_spring_or_year-round_resident

[Siwsan]

6. I'm in Michigan and I have NEVER see them this early in the year.

And I spend lots of time starring out the windows, watching the birds at the feeders. Which reminds me - I need to get some suet cakes out there.

The poor Robins were so puffed up! Eventually I saw four of them. They've taken off, for now. I always have breeding pairs in the pine trees.

You don't want to know how geeked I get when I see a Woodpecker. And one day I looked outside just instants after a raptor had swooped down and grabbed something - all I saw was a PUFFFFF of feathers falling to the ground.

[Backseat Driver]

7. Past years I've seen small flocks come through near the end of January un NE and Central OH

to feed on frozen tree berries - then didn't them in abundance until springtime. Some, I've learned, do not migrate south and stick around all winter but it's always a good thing to remember their food preferences (they don't eat seed) as do regular winter birds, Cardinals, Jays, etc...Starlings here also enjoy gorging on yew berries during fall and winter. Reminds me to make sure we get seed this weekend as temps are going to dive into single digits.

[Siwsan]

8. There must be a dozen, now, between the front and back yard

And they do seem to be grabbing berries from some of the shrubs.

I know they are seed eaters, but I have some blueberries in the refrigerator that I might scatter, to see if they will eat those.

Every morning there is a big cardinal that perches on the old TV antenna, singing its heart out. And Blue Jays? Yea, I've got LOTS of those.

I'm glad I bought an extra bag of seed, too, because my front yard has looked like LAX, before the pandemic. I put the food for the ferals, around in the back yard to lure them away from the feeders. And I've got suet cakes to load into the suet cages.

[Donkees]

9. Robins like peanut butter/jelly/raisin sandwiches kneaded into a dough, as well as 'bark butter'

[Siwsan]

11. Groovy! I've MOST of those in the pantry!

No lard for bark butter. I will put that on my shopping list.

Guess I know what I'll be up to, tomorrow! Making peanut butter, raisin and jelly smoosh sandwiches for the Robins!

Thanks!

[Donkees]

13. They appreciate worm shaped sandwich 'dough' :)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Robins stick around if they can find food.

They're carnivorous in the summer but in the winter they'll eat seeds and berries if they can find them. Dried berries on trees and shrubs are a favorite.

[Siwsan]

12. I'm going to put out some blue and blackberries I didn't quite get to, in time.

And I've got some raisins that ended up in the very back of the pantry since, well, I shudder to think of since when.

[Fla Dem]

14. Well they migrated in huge flocks through my neighborhood last 2 weeks.

We have a lot of berry trees in my development and they love to come through here traveling north. Hundreds of them everyday for over a week. Have to fill my bird bath twice a day, 6-8 of them drinking from it at once. Love having them come through, but they eat a lot of berries and we all end up with a lot of red splats all over everything.

Growing up and living in the Boston suburbs, I can remember as kids how excited we were when we saw the 1st Robins. It meant Spring was just around the corner.

[TexasBushwhacker]

15. I saw 2 together this week!

The bluebonnet clusters are starting pop up too.