There were hundreds of Robins in the woods today, especially the female Eastern Red Cedars. I counted close to twenty in one cedar busy eating the berries. The extended cold spell must be running them low on their reserves because I usually don't see robins eating the cedar berries. It must be challenging for them when the ground freezes and they cannot hunt their favorite prey, worms. Fortunately the cedar berries are very high in carbohydrates and the trees benefit when the birds poop the indigestible seed, thus aiding the trees' propagation. The cedars also provide shelter from the wind and predators because these dense evergreens do not shed their needles in the winter.

I saw them yesterday also. Someone asked me whether their breasts were shiny and "spiffy" or dingy - I thought they were dingy. Apparently the dingy guys are on their way south and the spiffy guys have already been south, molted and are on their way back to impress the unsuspecting females. I think these guys missed the bus!