did the earth move?

marvella · #1 01/27/05, 06:12 PM

i saw where someone posted they saw robins in their yard today. last week there was a discussion about seeing geese heading north. i've seen the geese too. today i saw a groundhog next to the road.

what in the world is going on that the world is waking up so early? it's still january! we haven't hardly had any winter here! i've been chalking it up to a mild winter, but now i am beginning to wonder.

did that earthquake knock the earth just enough to make spring come early?

diane greene · #2 01/27/05, 06:56 PM

Many robbins and geese no longer migrate - in my cold zone 5 we often see them year round. I seem to recall there was a reason for it, but it's slipped out of my head (must be low on estrogen today). Maybe some science head here will know the answer.

Ana Bluebird · #3 01/27/05, 08:44 PM

Here in northwest Missouri, Robins and Bluebirds no longer leave during the winter. Canadian Geese stay here all year round, today they were up and flying around like it was spring or something. Our forsythia bushes bloom twice a year now. And when I think back to my childhood in the 50's, I know that winters were much longer and colder here, more snow. Whatever is causing this, I'm going to relax and enjoy the balmy breezes in January!

sylvar · #4 01/27/05, 08:51 PM

So many of the canadian geese don't even know HOW to migrate any more. There are a couple thousand camped out on a golf course on my way to work....cracks me up all the goose crap those golfers are going to have to wade through.

Corky · #5 01/27/05, 09:20 PM

We are fortunate in that we are in the robin migration fly way but they don't leave for very long.
Actually I don't know how early in the Fall that they leave but they come back in December. We usually wake up to much bird song and a yard full of robins and the trees too. Its like starlings but it is robins. They stay for a few days then all but the local residents move on. Sometimes we get more flocks moving through later. They like to eat our ivy berries and hack berries.

Cosmic · #6 01/27/05, 10:37 PM

Yeah, something is definitely screwed up. when geese stay in New England for the winter, you know there is a lot of crazy birds out there. Might be they tried being snow birds and the hotels are all full down South. Strange to see them walking on the ice. I would guess it is something all about territory. If we leave, some illegal might be camped here in the spring when we get back.

Part might be people are feeding them. One flock has taken over an old mill pond that doesn't freeze much and have steady handouts. Maybe they know when they got it good. Duck welfare and nobody can shoot you. Lots of animals have adapted to new regimes and doing strange things.

No robins, with temps we are having would have to be in woolly sweaters at least. Never have seen a bird in long johns.

Bluecreekrog · #7 01/27/05, 10:51 PM

As I understand it has something to do with people feeding them, they stay around instead of migrating.

Christiaan · #8 01/28/05, 01:19 AM

Well there are natural variations from year to year and there is global warming, no matter what Bush says. We went from temps in the high teens to 66 in January. Go figure. Last year we had 70+ days in March, of course it went back to the mid 40's in May. Urban sprawl allows more birds to over winter. The micro climate is warmer and there are more food sources.
We've had the peepers start up their chorus, and the other evening I saw that the bats were out feeding.
BTW, I'm in Western Washington.

peanutgreen · #9 01/29/05, 01:45 AM

We had a high of 70 degrees F on Tuesday, and by Thursday the high was in the 30s. I see the geese heading north one day only to watch them go south the next. I don't even bother storing summer/winter clothes; you never know when you're going to need them here in Kansas. They have a saying here, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes."

kesoaps · #10 01/29/05, 09:37 AM

The frogs are singing here, a month ealier than normal. Anytime we get a big hike in temps early like this, we end up dipping down to freezing a month or two later. It's the norm.

Christiaan, I don't know where you are in W. WA, but last year we had record high's in May, my garden bolted out of control due to the 70 degree weather! But March was just March...And January was the coldest I've ever seen it, no wind and still only 4 degrees, which for those of us snuggled up along the bay is very cold indeed.

michelleIL · #11 01/29/05, 01:01 PM

some of our spring bulbs are coming up too....I thik they might be hyacinths.....don't quote me though