Evening star., 1944-09-29
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TrdceueH.

This Is the time of year to watch out
for bands OF robins leaving for the
South
The robin is such a common bird with
us that many overlook its last contribu-
ton, that of the massed flights south
ward.
Just as there are thousands of bird
friends who have not witnessed the
group incoming of these birds in the
spring, SO there aye many who fail to
see them leave.
Usually the suburbs is the best place,
birds will fly down in a small park or
even lawn in the city.
This grouping together is found in
this species only in early spring, when
millions of them congregate in some
Southern State, varying from year to
year and in late September and early
October
Often in spring from 500 to 5000 birds
will fly down in field, or scatter over
the lawn of some large estate.
Naturally enough the small yard will
receive less, since 1t can only hold so
to 100 robins at time.
This is sight we'll worth noting, but
it mostly happens when thousands of
persons are al work.
About O'Clock in the afternoon seems
to be the favorite hour Usually the
flock, which quietly has gathered in
some nearby wooded area, drops down,
spreads out, and stays only about 20
minutes.
We have watched these gatherings on
many occasions, and timed them, and
are definite in the time spent.
Never in our observation has the time
exceeded half an hour. Usually between
Is minutes and 20 minutes are spent in
looking for worms.
The robins deploy themselves as
small army might, spreading out, each
bird being about 10 feet from the next.
We would not suggest that they are in
military formation. Nature doesn't op-
crate In such ways, normally. The birds
just separate, and appear to be taking
up stations as if to comb the lawn.
In this way they may be sure that
they have not overlooked anything
Such displays of many robins in one
place at the same time should attract
the attention of bird lovers, but too
often even these people fail to see them,
because robins at this time of year are
rather colorless
The fact that many more than usual
are in one yard at the same time will
not impress itself upon even a careful
observer unless he just happens to be
In the mood to note the fact
1t is very easy to see couple of
robins, and be satisfied with the sight,
and not to realize that just beyond
them are two more, and beyond them
four more, and so on.
Hence it is good thing, perhaps, to
call every ones attention to the fact
that such sight as this may be seen
right now, if one is careful to note it.
No doubt hundreds of natural pictures
escape all of us because we are too busy
to look, or have our minds occupied
with other matters.
Every one knows how easy it is to
look out over lawn and see nothing,
provided the mind is busy with some
problem, just as it is easy to look
squarely at some friend in passing and
not see him at all.
Our robin In winter lives in Florida
and along the Gulf coast to Texas. Some
have been noted In Cuba and Bermuda.
A few even have been seen In Europe,
where it is believed they escaped from
captivity.
In early spring the birds gather in
vast bands or flocks in a few counties
in the Carolinas, varying from year to
year.
Usually these congregations last for
about four days and nights, when as
many as 1000, 900 robins stick together,
after which they break up into smaller
groups, as previously suggested, and fly
north. smaller flocks detaching them
selves AZ thew m alonr