• Saturday-What'sUP April 25 - 07:13 am

Robins back up north assure us that Spring is finally here. This one was captured with the snap of a shutter, by Ken Scheibach, as it was snitching a treat from what looks to me like a cherry tree. Of course I could be wrong, because my tree expertise is more on the chopping and sawing end of trees, not identifying of them. What a nice idea to leave an abundance of fruit for the arriving flocks of birds to enjoy after their long flights back north.

Today is 'Earth Day', so go out and hug a tree, or better yet, join in with the folks in your area who are picking up litter along the highway. Many civic groups will be doing that today here in the U.P., so it will be a little nicer when all the rest of you snowbirds return!

Morning...yes it is Earth Day. Hopefully everyone will think about the environment and what we can do to keep places, such as the Copper Country, as beautiful as they are.

How is the clear cutting by the loggers going up there in the UP? I've seen a couple of places where they are cutting down huge expanses of trees. Are they replanting?

Our little feathered friends like it the way it is. But with global warming, they now have robins way up north of Hudon's Bay...where they never were before. Polar bears are having problems to survive with the melting of the ice sheets.

We need to think about these things.

Great capture Ken, looks like the wind was blowing pretty good.

Looks more like a crab apple tree. The cherries would have been long gone by winter, but some crabs hang on till birds get hungry in the spring.

Morning All.
--Ken-- Great action shot of the Robin. Need to be really quick on the shutter to capture that exact moment. Enjoy the day everyone.

I've always heard about birds eating fruit that had stayed on the trees too long that had fermented and then getting drunk and then doing crazy things like flying into objects, etc. Any truth to this or another old wives' tale? Maybe that's how this robin ended up with that Punk looking hair, or rather feather, style?

Toivo...you are too funny. I LOVE your description of your expertise and knowledge base of trees being limited to chopping and sawing (for sauna wood?) heehee, but todays picture is awesome! Great shot Mr. Scheibach. My Mom always says spring is coming when she sees the robins. My sister Jeanne always says it is for sure spring in the U.P. when she sees the red winged black bird. Oh and thanks for reminding me to hug a tree today. I will grab Kodi Sues leash and an extra bag to pick up some trash from along the trail today!

I wish we had Robins down here....they seem like exotic birds now that I only see them when we travel north.

ERICA, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ROBINS BUT YOU HAVE PLENTY OF "SNOW-BIRDS" ALBEIT WINGLESS, EH,
JEFF LC

Welcome back Mr. Robin, good to see you.

Lori, Here in MN it is the Robins, Red Wings AND the Blue Birds. We know spring is here once they've all shown up. Our blue birds are already nesting in the houses we have for them. Last year we saw 2 families take their first flight. It's so interesting.

Great shot, Ken! I really love it.

Gary, I've heard that story about the birds too. Wonder if it's true.

Our bank has adopted a highway and Tuesday we all were in the ditches picking up the garbage. I bet people wonder what we did wrong to be out there doing that eh?:) But we have to keep our highways clean. Somebody has to anyway. You should see the stuff we cleaned up out of there. It's just plain disgusting what people will throw out. Some things I would even hesitate to mention on the site. EEEEWWWWW!!!

Kosk, Wish somebody would have told me about the history channel thing last night. I am in awe of the Fitz. I happened to miss it. If there's a repeat please be sure to tell me.

Usedtobeayooper--

I've noticed that what is on the history channel
in Michigan ( maybe true in Minnesota too) is
not the same thing that plays in Toronto.
Sorry.

Well, it may be earth day, but the mesquite trees have buds on them and that means we can plant our tomatoes. No rain in sight,

Victor Hugo had something like "EARTH DAY" in mind quite some time ago:
"In the relations of man with the animals, with the flowers, with the objects of creation, there is a great ethic, scarcely perceived as yet,
which will at length break forth into the light"

Down here in East TN.when Robins start to leave we know the weather in MI.must be getting warmer.I see hundred's of them at a time making there way north.The Robin is MI. state bird.TN. is the Mockingbird that I never seen until I moved here.I had to get a bird book to find out what I had at my feeders with so many different kinds.Barb said she saw a Hummingbird at it's feeder the other day. Must of been one on it's way up there,none hanging around here much as of yet.I wonder how long it takes them to do the 1000 miles from here to Dollar Bay?
I don't belive in Global warming,more proof against it then for it.With cleaner air it could happen,alot of solar flares been happening the past few years then past.Some say another Sun is behind this one.So since it is Earth Day planting tress and picking up trash is great,and I will do my part not to pass as much gas today into the air.Next thing ya know the Environmental Wacko's will be blaming us fat people for doing to much air polution.

We had an elderly robin that was feeding on our crab apples in the spring then crashing into the kitchen window, falling to the porch stunned, flying to the tree and repeating the process over and over. I thought he was drunk on the fermented apples, but he may have been chasing his reflection thinking it was a rival male.

Isn't the sight of the first ship on Superior the Copper Country's version of the first robin?

Maija--I like your interpretation of the robin's
behavior.

I have seen many snockered robins after they
have been stuffing themselves on mountain
ash berries in the fall.

Isn't robin pie a Cajun dish? Maybe Texan?

Yes many species of birds get intoxicated from fermented fruit! It doesn't last long tho. Cedar Waxwings are one species that comes to mind.
Robins, Bluebirds, and Red Wings among a few others now in recent years are overwintering much farther north then used to. Not at all uncommon to see these species on annual Christmas Bird Counts at least here in troll land! Several species are now present in the Copper Country regularly that never even were seen in the UP at all just a generation or so ago.
A report just came in on the Mich-listers.org rare bird report of a Pileated Woodpecker seen by many on Belle Isle! First sighting in Wayne county since before 1945!! Pelicans are now present in several spots this spring in southern MI! There is a rare bird report website just for the UP and it is amazing the weird species that often show up in the UP at various places!
What can we expect next around here? Flamingos?
Wouldn't be surprised!

The UP bird report site: www.upbirders.org
Another good one: www.northbirding.com
Check them out!

Here in MN we have all kinds of pileated woodys, pelicans, cormorants, loons, swans, blue birds, robins, cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, orioles, swallows, indigo buntings, scarlet tanagers, american redstarts, red wings, blue jays, hummingbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, cedar wax wings, plus more that we can't think of right off the top of our heads. But we've seen them all at one time or another at our feeders. It's great! I love birds and I pity the poor squirrel that tries to eat their food.

For those that are interested one of the best sites I've found for bird sightings is Surfbirds.com it covers the whole world.
I liked the picture of the Robin and put it up as the backdrop pic.

I did it...I finally got a cute bird pic! :)

Russel E. Emmons...you have that right about the Flamingos...just ask Ms. Katie. She has some in her yard and they keep multiplying. :)