Re: [mou-net] First robins of the year?

[Bruce Fall]

For the past few weeks I have been monitoring a large robin roost not 
far from my home in S. Minneapolis, first reported to MOU-net in mid 
December by Robert Bergad. It is located in the median of E Minnehaha 
Parkway, just west of 28th Ave. S. My high count so far (2 Jan.) is 
1,450 robins (and 200 starlings), nearly all of which arrive in a 20-min 
period starting about 15 min before sunset. Nearly all come from an 
easterly direction (NE to SE) and I am sure they are flying in from 
miles away but I have yet to track that down. They are roosting in about 
a dozen ornamental spruces in the parkway median. The roost tree 
branches are covered with hackberry seeds; the berries are a favorite 
robin food from autumn well into winter. So far I have found no other 
species (except starlings) in this roost. According to Robert (who lives 
adjacent to the roost), these robins depart in the morning in a 
similarly impressive manner, and the roost has been active since early 
November.

Bruce Fall, Minneapolis
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