Yeah, I know that seeing the first robin of the year is supposed to be a harbinger of spring, but the reality is that it’s possible to see them all winter, even where we live.
Just consider the day we looked out the window in the middle of February and saw 10 flocking together in our driveway – and believe me, we were a long way from the end of winter. There were more on the snow on the other side of the house, too.
The true bird of spring tidings is the buzzard. That’s right, the one more properly called a turkey vulture, back from wintering in Florida. (I happen to think there’s a lot of symbolism there. And they call the senior citizens “snow birds”? Maybe a better term would be “bait.”)
Yes, you can observe the stray vulture around here in the middle of winter, but they arrive in numbers just as the air’s turning from the depths. Sometimes it’s just as the last snow of the year is melting, in years like this when we’ve had a heavy and sustained pack build. Doesn’t matter, really. Somehow, they know.
Unlike the robins.
Jnana's Red Barn 
We used to have a flock of migrating Turkey Vultures near the house we lived in , in Weare. In the evening we would watch them circle down to nest in a group of trees behind a neighbor’s house. It was an amazing sight. Though I’m not sure how the neighbor’s felt about having a group of turkey vultures sitting in their backyard trees. I was very happy to see them. 🙂
Hi,
Yes, back in February, my brother saw about 15 Robins eating the berries in his yard. Not so unusual anymore in New England.
I heard a robin last week, but didn’t actually see it. 🙂
~Cathy~
There’s a relative to the robin, the American dipper, that I can count on as a harbinger of the beginning and end of winter. It only comes by for a few days in spring and autumn, then we don’t see again until the next change. Robins themselves, yes, less reliable. 🙂
Reblogged this on Moments of Awareness.
Yes! For us in FL the turkey buzzard is the sign of Fall! I love watching them glide on air currents:) They never even need to flap a wing. Sad to see them go. I’ll miss their dance:)!