Robins Ate the Berries

On Tuesday, I posted a couple pictures of robins 

perched in a berry-laden tree.

It is my contention that this tree is able to hold

its fruit all fall and winter because it's

meant as a late winter feast for the robins.

I've seen trees at other locations, their bases surrounded

by robins sitting in the snow, so gorged

on berries that they could not fly.

There were about a half dozen birds around this tree

when I returned Wednesday afternoon.

The berries are very nearly gone.

The only birds eating them are robins.

Robins and Berries

We got several inches of snow in Indy 

this past weekend. Monday afternoon, while waiting 

for the bus, I looked up in a nearby tree 

where I saw robins. They seemed almost tame, 

but I guess it was the berries and, perhaps, a mating thing, 

that kept them in the tree while I prowled underneath, 

looking for a decent shot.

Faffing about in Speedway

Okay, robins are a common bird. However, this is as close 

as I've gotten to a bird that will stick around 

long enough for me to take its picture.

So here you have it - the SDP ornithological

contribution to spring pictures. 

I've been stalking herons, buzzing after 

hummingbirds, and waddling after ducks,

all without success.

By the way, robins don't all go South for the winter. 

Most seem to take up residence beneath a berry tree 

on the Wishard Hospital Campus, gorging themselves 

on the bright red fruit until they cannot fly,

telling their buddies robin stories -

"I'm tellin' you, Gus, it was the biggest damn

worm I'd ever pulled out of the ground!"