11/25/2009

Robins at the River

American Robin Sudbury River
I was lucky to catch a flock of American Robins at the Sudbury River last Saturday. In the spring and summer months you see one or two at a time, but at this time of year they gather in large groups. I think this is a great picture because it captures the "essence" of an American Robin. You can clearly see the broken white eye ring, the striped throat, and the ruddy red breast.

female robin sudbury river
Most of the Robins were eating from what I think is some type of cherry tree. I recently noticed the same tree at my mothers house, but not a soul is eating those berries yet.

male robin
A good view of the black striped throats shared by both sexes.

American Robins Sudbury River
Unlike the flock of robins I saw at my house last December, these birds looked well fed and healthy.

American Robins Sudbury River
I got a series of shots of this vibrant individual.

American Robins Sudbury River
Here he is vocalizing. He may have been warning me off, but I don't think he was.

American Robins Sudbury River
A very handsome fellow!

female robin sudbury river
This typical robin's pose makes the bird appear cheerful and alert. Even their call is a happy one; it is usually described as sounding like "cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up."

female robin sudbury river 2
I think this particular bird is a female. The female American Robin has the same coloring as the male, but is slightly duller overall.

female robin sudbury river 3
The head of a female robin is more gray than black.

male robin
Robins are abundant, but that doesn't make them common. Seen up close and personal, their striking features add up to a very beautiful bird!

1 comment:

  1. im doing a birding porject for school and its huge help to know the difference between males and females, thanks:)

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