Virginia is for Robins

Date: Feb 26, 2015
Time: 1:10pm EST
Location: Hampton VA Coliseum
Temp: 32°F
Wind: ~18mph
Sky: Nimbostratus, snow

No pictures but I did see a flock of robins here in Virginia on my way into the quilt festival. Still no singing.

They were snowy and I have to imagine feeling a mite surly if robins can, indeed, feel surly. To my knowledge there is no research about surly robins but I can't help but think they want to be about the business of fighting for territory and singing to attract a mate.

The robinwatch campaign is going. These things always gain a small cult following so I will keep it up through the first day of spring.

#Robin Watch

After giving the matter some thought, I decided that for me, the best way to kick off a unit on robin's was to do so through the South Dakota Discovery Center's account on Twitter.

Yes, yes, Robins. Twitter.

I am getting the word out about #RobinWatch for the month between President's Day and the first day of spring, inviting people to tweet their robin sitings, sharing resources about robins.

Since I am in Virginia this week, I'll be limited to what I can share as me, the observer. But the robin tweets will go on.

Accepting the Robin Challenge

I will admit that I particularly liked my last week's post about kicking off robin studies in lieu of a Valentine's party.

I realized today I should do a bit more than tell you "Kick off a robin study" as if it only involved going to the local big box store and buying a box of robin studies that you pass out on Monday morning.

Part of this online nature journal is to be a model of one way to do nature journaling in an educational setting.

So join me as I accept my challenge to myself and attempt to keep a nature journal that includes robin studies.

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Date: Feb 16, 2015
Time: 8am
Location: My house, Pierre
Temp;
Skies
Wind

A single male robin, sighted on my neighbor's deck. I saw him as I was returning back to the house after dragging out the recycling for pick up. He was outside when I went to check a few minutes later but gone after I left and returned with a camera.

No subsequent robins, no singing this week because it's been cold. I will be out of town next week and if it's warm, i.e. upper 30's, I expect the robins to start moving in and sing.

Also, this is a cautionary tale about not recording your data as soon as you collect it as I have no memory of Temps, Skies, or Wind.

Loud Geese

Date: Feb 14, 2014
Time: ~ 1pm
Location: Capitol Lake
Temperature: 10°F
Wind: 15-20 mph
Skies - stratus

I have mentioned before how Pierre is on the flyway for Canada geese. In the winter we get thousands of geese in town, a large number of which land on Capitol Lake, nestled between the Governor's mansion and the Capitol.

Canada geese by themselves or in small flocks are loud. In numbers this large, they are really loud. I don't know a word other than loud, but if there is one feel free to use it.

In this video you can hear the geese. You can also hear wind, and cars passing.

Preparing for Robins

I'm veering off from the straight nature journal into a bit of pedagogy.

Last night I participated in a Twitter chat with teachers and the question came up about plans to observe Valentine's Day. As a child I dreaded Valentine's Day because the mushy cards that we were required to send, the only type available, were met with "Ewww, yuck" from the boys upon seeing the card was from me.

Or at least, that's how I remember it.

Not wanting to inflict this same trauma on the next generation, I suggested that instead of a party, that Valentine's Day be the kick off for a unit on robins and spring. Why?

1. It was a medieval tradition that birds selected their mates on Valentine's Day and indeed, some birds species do start singing in February.
2. Robins have a red breast and red is the color of Valentines.
3. Robins will be on the move shortly at least here in South Dakota. Robins will start showing up and evidencing mating behavior within the next month.
4. They have the best Latin name: Turdus migratorius 
5. Robins are abundant, easily habituated to people and are widespread making them easy to monitor even for younger children.

Things you can do:

• Prepare to monitor the American Robin on Journey North. Learn identifications, behavior, songs, food. 
• Establish and identify monitoring points on school grounds that you will use to look for robins. Take a walk and familiarize students with them. Later on in the spring and even next year's students in the fall can revisit these sites and report out on robin activity. This is a great historical data set.
• Have a robin or bird party! Check Pinterest for ideas and turn your creative parents loose on the idea.
• For older students, start planning a Bird Festival for younger students (maybe during Environmental Education Week in April). Use the Flying Wild Curriculum to help.
• Introduce students to literature featuring robins and birds. Help them learn how to use a field guide. 
• Your great idea here.

Turdus migratorius American Robin

• Creative Commons License CC BY-SA 3.0

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Sunset: a few weeks later

Date: Sat Feb 7, 2014
Time: 5:49pm
Location: Farm Island river access dock
Temperature: 60°F
Skies: cumulostratus

I arrived home after a conference shortly before 5pm to 70°ish temperatures. I threw on some running clothes and went to Farm Island to run. And a glorious, beautiful run it was too.

 I took this picture after that run, about 5:50pm. Sunset was at 6:01pm.

I could not have done this run two weeks ago, when sunset was at 5:40pm because it would have been dark before I finished.

Unless, of course, I had brought a headlamp and sweater. As soon as the sun gets lower in the sky, temps start falling. They fell during my run which is ok because I was, you know, running.