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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

This One Is American

American Robin
After showing you some of the more urban birds right outside my house, today I'm going to take you back to the forest to get a look at one of my more familiar forest friends. This American Robin is maybe the main kind of bird I find while I'm out on my hikes. These birds like it in all different places, but they seem to really love the forest.

Our American robins are named after the European robin because of the male's bright red breast, although they are in fact not related. The American bird is a member of the thrush family, while the original European robin is a type of flycatcher. Other than the red breast, there is really not much of a resemblance between the two. And really, even the red is not exactly in the same spot for either bird. since I only have pictures of my bird, I left links to each of them above so you can go and compare them for yourself.

And now for something totally different. Another good sign of spring is that the skunks are out. There are skunks all over where I live. I can tell by the smell. I have never had a chance to get any pictures of one, and I'm not sure I want to. I was up half the night last night because skunk smell was thick in the air, hurting my eyes and closing up my throat. Even my closed up house couldn't stop it from getting in, so there wasn't much sleep time for me.

I finally got to see geese again. My favorite poop machines. To my surprise they haven't come back to any of my usual places yet. I saw them at a place I don't usually go, and I didn't have my camera with me. There were hundreds of geese, and thousands of goose droppings. They can really ruin a place when there are very many of them.

So, is the bird above the first robin of spring? It will take a few more weeks to find out for sure. Maybe he's just the last robin of winter. Time will tell.

13 comments:

  1. If you get a photo of a skunk make sure its a close up taken without a telephoto lens, HA!

    Bill

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  2. Yes, the carnage on the roads has begun, it must be spring.

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  3. Oh the smell of skunk is year round here... You mean you get a break?

    And the European robin really looks like a bluebird with slightly different shading! Thanks for the look. :)

    Have a great day adventuring.

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  4. The skunk tells, and the robin tells as well. The spring is back, but I do not have much feeling.

    How is my spring?

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  5. Oh I'm lucky that we don't have skunks around here! That smell would give me an instant headache..

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  6. The Robin is my next favorite bird next to the Chickadee.I always think when we see Robins, that Spring isn't too far off. We have lots of skunks around here too. One time one died right behind my house. I don't know why, I just found it dead. And they do stink.

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  7. When I stationed at Fort Hood, Texas in 1992 there were a bunch of skunks that had got under the barracks building I lived in.... I guess they lived under that building.... Anyway I remember coming on base from the clubs late at night many times on the weekend and a few of those skunks would be out in the yard rambling around and I was so scared of them lol.... Sometimes I would have to wait for them to go away before I could go up to my room. I hated those things. I'm so glad we don't have skunks in Alabama.... at least none that I know of.

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  8. A truly spectacular bird...much brighter than the British Robin.excellent pictures.

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  9. Oh yeah, the skunks are out for sure. Every morning on my way to work I get to experience that awful smell.

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  10. No robins or geese here yet..but I am on the lookout!

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  11. Red Wing Blackbirds are the true sign of spring. I'm not sure who told me that, but I love them! Can't wait to see some of them featured here, Ratty!

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  12. Being an indoor-only kitty, I don't see skunks much, although I have smelled them a few times, and the dog here has gotten skunked two or three times (she is not very bright - I think she tries to make friends with them). My human, however, is an indoor-outdoor creature so she sees them quite a bit. She says they are very, very cute! But unlike the dog, she keeps her distance from them. A few months ago, one decided it liked her and tried to follow her home, which is pretty funny - she certainly couldn't just shoo it away!

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  13. Poop machines LOL! Yes I've seen the geese around as well. I haven't smelled any skunks as yet but I know it's only a matter of time. BTW Love the photo and I finally got a decent bird photo after years of trying so on Monday, check it out. I need your expertise in identifying him :)

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