Robins like to follow you around the allotment because they learned from doing it in forests following wild boar as they foraged. Our local birds do the same on our allotment. Fabulous to watch.
I remember a time when my American wife and I were in the UK for a vacation. This was before I had moved to the US. We were sitting outside having a coffee and a robin landed nearby. My wife asked what bird it was, so I told her it was a robin. She shook her head and told me it wasn't a robin. The conversation became quite heated but we eventually determined that what she called a robin and what I called a robin were rather different. I had no idea at the time that there was such a thing as an American Robin and she had no idea we had our own Robins. We laugh about it now whenever we see either version.
Haha this made me laugh - I love the idea of someone visiting me from overseas and correcting me about birds we see... but being kinda right! I hope I get to see the American version soon, I expect they're a bit more exciting (though ours are very sweet).
Wow, a lot of interesting facts in this article. I love the collective nouns (blush/bobbin/babble), thanks for sharing. To be honest I was enticed (being a physics student) by the mention of quantum entanglement, and I was absolutely not disappointed. Found some articles about it, so thanks immensely for the awesome reading material! Really had no idea there are species that detect the EM field through their eyes, that's fantastic. I was only aware of the organ e.g. sharks use to detect EM fields (ampullae of Lorenzini), and would argue that _seeing_ it is way cooler!
I believe Osprey have some sort of apparatus in ONE eye that does something similar, too - if you need more reading! And if you can try your hand at a summary for a lay person that would be most helpful 😂
Love this, thanks Gem. Not sure if this was just our family, but as children we were always told the robins were reporting back to Father Christmas on our behaviour.
Their behavior reminds me of our Eastern Phoebe, a flycatcher. They are often fearless and will hang out close to people, especially gardeners. When we are digging holes to plant stuff in our yard, they will perch on the wheelbarrow or some other object right next to a human!
I hear them all the time around my neighboorhood, and am also fortunate enough to see them regularly. Unlike the wrens that I also hear regularly but almost never see.
I have a pair that follow me around the allotment as I dig it over, cheeky and fearless in their picking at grubs. Lovely post — thank you!
I would love an allotment just to make friends with the robin that inevitably lives there. Sadly they are in very high demand around here!
Robins like to follow you around the allotment because they learned from doing it in forests following wild boar as they foraged. Our local birds do the same on our allotment. Fabulous to watch.
I remember a time when my American wife and I were in the UK for a vacation. This was before I had moved to the US. We were sitting outside having a coffee and a robin landed nearby. My wife asked what bird it was, so I told her it was a robin. She shook her head and told me it wasn't a robin. The conversation became quite heated but we eventually determined that what she called a robin and what I called a robin were rather different. I had no idea at the time that there was such a thing as an American Robin and she had no idea we had our own Robins. We laugh about it now whenever we see either version.
Haha this made me laugh - I love the idea of someone visiting me from overseas and correcting me about birds we see... but being kinda right! I hope I get to see the American version soon, I expect they're a bit more exciting (though ours are very sweet).
I actually prefer ours. They're cuter and chubbier and remind me of every Christmas card I would get as a kid in the 70s. 😉
Wow, a lot of interesting facts in this article. I love the collective nouns (blush/bobbin/babble), thanks for sharing. To be honest I was enticed (being a physics student) by the mention of quantum entanglement, and I was absolutely not disappointed. Found some articles about it, so thanks immensely for the awesome reading material! Really had no idea there are species that detect the EM field through their eyes, that's fantastic. I was only aware of the organ e.g. sharks use to detect EM fields (ampullae of Lorenzini), and would argue that _seeing_ it is way cooler!
I believe Osprey have some sort of apparatus in ONE eye that does something similar, too - if you need more reading! And if you can try your hand at a summary for a lay person that would be most helpful 😂
Your Robins are so sweet. Ours are big and cranky.
Ours are only cranky to other Robins thankfully 😅
some of ny favourites, always so brave and inquisitive
A photographer’s favourite for sure 😂 very obliging little subjects
Such lovely photos! They’re always hanging about when we’re clearing vegetation at work, hoping we’ll disturb some juicy bugs
Thanks, I almost got bored of taking photographs of them but now I love them even more 🥹
Love this, thanks Gem. Not sure if this was just our family, but as children we were always told the robins were reporting back to Father Christmas on our behaviour.
I love that - even more because it might be unique to your family! I was never told they’re little Christmas spies!
Their behavior reminds me of our Eastern Phoebe, a flycatcher. They are often fearless and will hang out close to people, especially gardeners. When we are digging holes to plant stuff in our yard, they will perch on the wheelbarrow or some other object right next to a human!
Aww I just looked them up - I wish we had those, too! I love the cute slightly oversized head.
We have them in our garden on a daily basis feeding and bathing
I see them everywhere except our garden, at the moment. They are reliably present on walks even when all the other birds seem to be busy avoiding me!
I hear them all the time around my neighboorhood, and am also fortunate enough to see them regularly. Unlike the wrens that I also hear regularly but almost never see.
Yes, I had no trouble sourcing my photos for this week (unlike for the wren)! Very amiable little friends
Yes, I’ve seen a Robin. You know which kind. Another thing they have in common—our Robins too are the earliest to launch into song.