Robins are (well I hope they still are) close to ubiquitous in rural English gardens - so much so that the become the iconic clique of post, greeting and Christmas cards. And when a thing become so common, I think that they tend to be over looked.
Migration half way around the world fixes that issue - and when I recently returned to the UK I had made up my mind to try to photograph as many of the common birds as possible - garden birds, bird table birds, birds often unloved by birders because of their abundance and suburban nature. In other words, the birds I grew up with.
Within a day of arrival I had located a Robins nest in an old heating duct space. The young birds fledged a few hours after these pictures - and remained hidden behind potted plants, garden hose reels and shovels. So, I only managed shots of the adult.
The Robin - Erithacus rubecula - is about 12cm long and both adults sport the red breast for which it is well known. I recall reading that only in the UK is the Robin really a garden bird, at ease with humans, and that over much of its range it is rather more shy.
I deliberately composed the shots to include the top of the garden hose reel, as a bit of a statement about this birds 'domesticity' - I'm not sure if it worked!
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I've always loved "your" robins! Dare I say they're a bit cuter than our version? Handsome birds!
ReplyDeleteA very interesting shot of contrast between urban textures and bird.
ReplyDeleteHihi, nice place to live ,nette
ReplyDeleteI am a fan your Robin too, they are pretty birds. Lovely series of images. Thanks for hosting, have a happy week ahead!
ReplyDeleteI wish they stuck around my area. They travel through, and boom their gone.
ReplyDeleteCommon, maybe, but such beautiful little birds. This one found a nice, safe place for a nest.
ReplyDeleteI love Robins, so much fun to see a different version than our American Robin. They are all cute!!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty little bird!
ReplyDeleteThe English robin is so sweet ... It's true what you say about overlooking birds when they become common. Thus, the American Robin used to be like that for me. It's very very common here in the WEst. But now it is fun to see, because they don't live in Florida.
ReplyDeleteI still think the English one is prettier though.
I agree with Sallie-- we can go a year without seeing one American Robin in south Florida, so I probably appreciate them more because they are unusual.We value the rare over the common (unless it is a disease).
ReplyDeleteGreat photos. Wouldn't it be fun to be able to swap some common birds - just for a while?? Like - swap my 'cockies' for some English robins?? But I guess that is what the early colonists did and look at what a mess they made!
ReplyDeleteI feel that way here in America about the complacency toward house finches and our robin and starlings, and any number of other birds. We take them all for granted. I'm just as guilty...I look, and say "Oh is that a woodpecker on the fence? No it's just a dove." I would have grabbed the camera if it had been a woodpecker! To us here in the U.S. though your darling little robins are a real treat to see! Smaller and more endearing somehow than the American Robin we love to see photos like the ones you show today! (And then feel guilty that our own robin isn't as celebrated!) :-)
ReplyDeleteI like this series....the shadow [last one] is fantastic. Great timing on that.
ReplyDeleteA great series indeed, Stewart!! And definitely great timing!! Thanks as always for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots Stewart. Always a pleasure to see.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteI totally understand your point... however, 18 months back with only the 'common' birds to see... there is now a longing for the Aussie variety again! That said, our little robin in the garden is a daily delight, though I have yet to capture it with any degree of beauty such as this! YAM xx
Nice to see that our National Bird is getting headline status this week in its domestic setting.
ReplyDeletethey're very cute.
ReplyDeleteThey seem happy just hanging around the hose reel, not afraid of the humans.
ReplyDeleteGood in a way!
Nice shots and I do like the hose reel and the bit of rust (or discoloration) on the wall.
Thanks for hosting WBW, Stewart!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Peace :)
I'm glad you got to see your robins! The young birds are quite elusive, I've had a hard time photographing them around the yard. They easily disappear into the leaves on the tree branches.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics of the robin, especially that action shot!
ReplyDeleteHi Stewart I am back again and I think you must have forgotten to link me in but it is done now. I wondered why there were not many comments. Alisa Craig was fantastic we m and we managed to land although the 70,000 Gannets are seen from the water. What a noise. Love our little Robin series of shots.
ReplyDeleteI love the way this robin just works around the tools resting in the entrance.
ReplyDeleteThe robins in our yard should be more appreciated. They can be relied on to be there for site and song everyday; ♫ bob, bob, bobbin along ♫.
Loved the action shot.
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like they have adapted to humans very well! At least this one has.
ReplyDeleteI understand exactly how you feel about the robin when you don't have it. There is a certain comfort in the familiar and perhaps your recent visit to England rekindled a nostalgia you possibly didn't know existed. Whenever I visit Central and South America the familiar little bird I am always anxious to see is a Rufous-collared Sparrow. It is ubiquitous and pretty much ignored by everyone. It is nonetheless charming and entertaining to watch. We will be returning to Costa Rica in January and as much as a parrot, trogon or toucan I am looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with a Rufous-collared Sparrow. Sadly, I know that one day in the next few years I will be making my last trip to where it can be found, and that will be a sad moment.
ReplyDeleteOur American robins are a garden as they love being in the garden trying out all the berries and other goodies or they are hopping through the grass looking for worms. I read where they feed their babies 14 worms a day. Oh yummy
ReplyDeleteThey are called the Herald of Spring although in our area they are here all year round.
MB
Our American Robins are colored a little differently..The red is more diffuse..Great photos of the little family..Always fun to watch the babies...fun shots..
ReplyDeleteBoy, just when I think you have reached the top of your game ... You have really outdone yourself, Stewart. This Robin may be a common bird to you, but not me. She is adorable and a good mother. But back to you ... the way you set this up and the shadow pictures ... There is nothing common about this post. Simply mesmerizing. And I agree that it would be hard to live without what we have come to take for granted in our lives ... we are creatures of habit, after all and our habits are our comfort zone. This may be my favorite of all your posts (assuming I can remember them all considering that I am an old poop). If I were there, I would give you a big hug :)
ReplyDeleteAndrea @ From The Sol
That robin found a secure spot! Great shots, Stewart.
ReplyDelete~
Sweet! I enjoyed your nesting robins.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen a robin in real life before. Lovely series of shots with a bit of a story to them. I think the hose reel worked.
ReplyDeleteWhat sweet shots.
ReplyDeleteHome is where the heart is. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGood timing Stewart. "The Robin has topped a poll of more than 200,000 people to choose the UK's first national bird.
ReplyDeleteOrnithologist David Lindo - who launched the campaign - said the Robin was "entwined into our national psyche" as a "Christmas card pin-up".
He now plans to ask the government to officially recognise the Robin as the national bird.
The red-breasted bird received 34% of votes, followed by the Barn Owl, which received 12%, and the Blackbird, 11%. "
Your Robins are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteRobins aren't common to me, although we do have them here in Texas. They seem bigger than the UK robins, but then everything is bigger in Texas, lol. Welcome home!
ReplyDeleteHello Stewart, my first time here on your interesting blog, I write a gardening blog but someone commenting on my blog suggested I link to you as I had written about a robin that keeps visiting me – and just by coincidence your post is about robins too! I can see I was too late to join the meme, but I will be back some other time :-)
ReplyDeleteRobin is my favorite bird of all. I just love these birds. Greetings.
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