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Monday, January 26, 2009

Birds in winter -

Saw an armful of robins in the front yard today. First gathering I've seen of them this year. That's supposed to mean spring is on its way, isn't it? Yet, we have snow and below freezing temperatures once again.

The chickens can't quite figure out what to make of it all. Their water freezes in their container - much to their bewilderment. They are bored silly and are trying to dig themselves out of their coop, so I do try to let them out for bit. But with weather like this, they find that the dirt is frozen pretty solid, so fruitless to scratch at, and every thing green and therefore potentially edible in the yard is covered with chilly white snow. Curses! Foiled. Indignities most fowl!

There needs to be a better word for a collection of robins. A portent of robins? A premonition? A precursor? A presentiment? Anything that makes it feel like spring will come again! Soon please!

(For a lovely list of collective nouns for birds - from which robin is conspicuously absent - see here).

11 comments:

natural attrill said...

I like your robin painting.
Robins are very small and brown with red chest here in England, we have a couple that live in a bush close to our kitchen window.
P.x

Ruthie Redden said...

Beautiful little birds, on our walks, we often see a little robin, bobbing silently along in the hedgerows, so nosy...

Jennifer Rose said...

lovely robin :) I really like how you did the feathers

a quarrel of sparrows, that one really fits with the birds. they are always quarreling with each other :p

Chris.P said...

I look forward to seeing more of these spot illo's they look great.

I know exactly how you feel 'post project.' I hope you are getting your mojo back.

Anonymous said...

Oh I wish I'd see a few robins! I did watch some bunnies play today. They ran and jumped at each other. The went in circles and just had a dandy time chasing each other. I just had to smile.

Anonymous said...

How about a 'blush' of robins?


btw - love your little robin.:-)

andrea said...

Charming illustration! No red red robins here, yet -- but just about everything else! (And today's snow is rapidly disappearing -- YAY)

Jennifer Thermes said...

I love your robin! We've been hearing them too... and the daylight is getting noticeably longer... but alas we're in the middle of a snowstorm again...

(Am enjoying your spot posts too.) :-)

Anonymous said...

Lovely drawing. I feed the birds every morning, some days we get hundreds of visitors.

cindy said...

poor chickies! i have not seen any robins, only blue jays. they looked very pretty in the snow. so does your robin!

Brimful Curiosities said...

The Robin is Wisconsin's State Bird. I've not seen any of them here yet. Will be glad for the cold to give way to spring.