[Birdtalk] flocks of robins

[Linda Butler]

Yesterday about 1 p.m. there was a HUGE flock of robins in my backyard (Pleasant Grove bench). To see all this color against the white snow (we got nearly a foot of it out of Wednesday's storm) was quite amazing. I've never seen so many robins all in one place! I counted 47 of them, and that was low--there were more on the side of my house where a small waterfall runs to a pond. Among the robins were a few assorted sparrows, finches, a couple of starlings and one Cedar Waxwing.
All the birds seem to be interested in the few leftover apples that are high on the trees, and in some sort of crabapples that are about the size of cherry pits, and juniper berries.
Well the robins are back again today, though not quite in as full a force--I counted "only" 27 of them. There are a greater number of other smaller birds today (starlings, finches, sparrows, a few chickadees and juncos, but the latter two seem to be more interested in the seeds in my front yard and only occasionally fly out back.)
I pulled out Sibley and discovered that this flocking behavior is not uncommon. He writes, "...American Robins are often gregarious on their wintering grounds, moving in flocks as they seek out fruit-laden plants."
All the birds are having a great time bathing in my little stream. I first noticed them at 10 a.m. and it's now 10:21. I'll go back to watching them. And bake some bread. Then I can birdwatch as the bread rises and still have something accomplished when my kids get home from school!
Linda 
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