Surprise Visitor!

[1DIRTBALL]

My wife was telling me about a surprise visitor we had at our heated birdbath this morning. It was a surprise only because of the time of year that it appeared. Of all thing's, it was a robin! At first I suspected her of trying to pull my leg. The robin has come back to the birdbath several time's today so I was able to get a good look at it and confirm that it was indeed a robin! Every time the robin land's at our birdbath it drink's a whole lot of water. The bird look's like it's in fairly good condition. In fact it's downright fat! Might be just because it's feather's are fluffed up because of the cold. Unfortunatly, I don't even own a camera so I couldn't take a picture. Has anyone else ever had this experience? Is this something that happen's fairly frequently? And no Jackpine Rob, it was not a Meander! 1DIRTBALL

[Jack Peterson]

Would I surprise you if I said there are about a half a dozen Robins sitting in the apple tree right now? They're eating like crazy.

They'll stick around all winter, especially out in the woods/brushy areas.

[goose89]

Might be rare up in Warroad, but I've seen robins every month of the year down here in the land of tall buildings.

[Steve Foss]

It does happen pretty frequently. When I lived in Grand Forks, there were years we had robins all winter long. Up here in Ely, I've seen them in the dead of winter several times, but generally only when it's a fairly mild winter. This time of year it's not unusual to see them anywhere in northern Minnesota there are fruit/berry trees. I had one fly through the yard yesterday. In central and southern Minnesota, you see them all winter pretty often.

[mixxedbagg]

During the years when we have a good crabapple/mountain ash berry crop, I see a few (never more than a half dozen in a group and generally fewer than that) in winter in Itasca County. Other years none at all. It's certainly notable to see a robin in northern Minnesota any time after turkey day.

The years I remember seeing the most robins in winter, I also remember seeing CEDAR waxwings and very few BOHEMIAN waxwings, which is why I think it's largely fruit-related.

[1DIRTBALL]

Thank you for all your response's gentlemen. This experience prove's that you are never too old to learn. Seeing a robin in the dead of winter is something I had never experienced before. Hence, the surprise! It is 1 above in Warroad this morning! If you were a robin, would you want to stay here? 1DIRTBALL

[Steve Foss]

It is 1 above in Warroad this morning! If you were a robin, would you want to stay here? 1DIRTBALL

Only if I liked to ice fish.