An Abundance Of Foraging American Robins

American Robin swallowing fruit on a winter day

Two afternoons ago when I left the local pond to head home I saw at least 75-100 foraging American Robins in some crabapple trees and on the ground in the snow. I would have photographed them then but the light angle was not the best and I determined that morning would be the better time to photograph them without impeding normal traffic on the road if they were still around.

Early yesterday morning I had obligations and couldn’t get out into the field but around 9:35 am I looked out my window and saw clouds moving in so I grabbed my camera, jumped into my Jeep and headed back to where I had seen all the robins the day before. I figured that 5 minutes in the field was better than nothing and I was determined to take some photos before those clouds moved in. I was delighted when I relocated the American Robins in the crabapple trees and started photographing them at precisely 09:46 am.

American Robins are common birds but like other bird species I believe they can be uncommonly beautiful. The first images I took yesterday morning were of this robin trying hard to swallow a whole piece of fruit.

American Robin eating fruit on a cold winter morning

Some of the American Robins were in the crabapple trees plucking and eating the fruits while perched on branches while other robins were on the ground foraging for the fallen fruit in the snow. Usually I had branches in front of the robins in the trees so I spent the majority of my time focused on photographing the birds on the snow.

By photographing the robins on the ground it meant that at times I would have the road in the background but after looking at some of my images on the camera LCD I found that I didn’t mind having the road there at all, in fact there were times when the darkness of the road seemed to make the robins stand out even more.

American Robin foraging for fruit through the snow

The colors of the plumage of the robins were especially appealing to my eyes against the pure whiteness of the snow and the bits of reddish fruit stood out nicely too. Some of the American Robins came in close…

Perky American Robin in the snow

While a few of the robins were a touch more skittish and keep a bit more distance between themselves and my Jeep. This one appeared to be giving me the stink eye but it was really looking at another nearby bird.

American Robin close up in a field of snow

When the American Robins approached me sitting quietly in my Jeep I took advantage of it by taking close ups that would show all the fine details in their plumage and that of the snow covering the ground.

Wintertime American Robin close up

Some of the close ups show tiny bits of snow stuck to the bills of the American Robins. I was glad when this robin approached the base of the crabapple tree so the textures of the out of focus trunk were included on the left side of the frame.

American Robin in the snow with fruit in its bill

Even though it was getting close to 10 am when I took this photo the light was still beautiful thanks to the winter sun being low on the horizon plus it helped that the snow is reflective and bounced the light back up under the robin which lit up that gorgeous red breast so well.

American Robin on a mound of snow

These next three images are of the same American Robin on a mound of snow next to the road. The robin was poking its head and bill into the snow while it searched for fruit that had fallen from the crabapple trees. Having the road behind the bird wasn’t a distraction at all to me.

Winter American Robin with a bit of fruit in its bill

When the robin plucked a piece of fruit from the snow little flakes flew into the air at the edge of this frame. That red breast sure stood out well from the white of the snow.

American Robin with fruit on its tongue

And then when it picked up another piece of fruit I was able to capture the fruit balanced on the tongue of the robin with bits of snow falling back to the ground.

Close up of an American Robin picking up fruit from snow

This American Robin moved towards my Jeep and picked up one of the crabapples so close to me that I focused on it as it grasped the fruit with its bill. I had a great view of its eye, rictal bristles and bill.

American Robin calling in the snow

One thing that I noticed yesterday not with my eyes but with my ears is that these robins have started to sing and not just call, it was the song I hear in the spring in the middle of the night only it was in short bursts not the lengthy songs I hear later in the year. Hearing that; even with lots of snow on the ground, reminded me that spring is really not that far away.

Wintertime American Robin with an eye on the sky

When this American Robin came in close to me I saw it tip its head towards the sky and look up, it may have been looking for predators overhead or perhaps there were other birds up high that I couldn’t see with a roof over my head, but something surely caught its attention.

American Robin plucking a crabapple from the snow

When other vehicles drove by on the road the robins would take off and fly into the trees but I also noticed it didn’t take them long before they would drop back to the ground and continue foraging for the fallen fruit.

About this time I heard but did not see Cedar Waxwings nearby, oh how I wish the waxwings would have joined these robins feasting of the fallen fruits. Perhaps they will today, I hope to check that out later even though there are clouds overhead this morning and the radar indicates falling rain and or snow.

Close up of a calling American Robin in the snow

This robin seemed especially colorful to me with its yellow bill, black head and rusty, red breast.  I was happy it was so close because of all the details I can show in its plumage. I can even see its pupil in its dark brown eyes.

Snowy American Robin swallowing a crabapple whole

Observing and photographing the robins as they tried to swallow the fruits whole was fun and interesting to see. The shadow in front of this bird is another robin flying in to join this one on the ground, by the next frame the incoming bird had photobombed this one.

An American Robin swinging a crabapple around on a winter day

Seeing this robin swinging the crabapple around made me laugh out loud. I’m not sure why the robin swung the fruit around in the air but it was funny to see.

American Robin and a mound of snow

I included this American Robin photo because I am not sure if I like it or not, there was a mound of snow between the bird and myself at the lower left side of the frame which created a white vignette there and I can’t decide if it is appealing or distracting. I do know I like the perky pose of the robin though!

Head on American Robin with a crabapple in its bill

I couldn’t resist photographing this head on view of this robin trying hard to swallow a whole crabapple because of the view of its open bill with the fruit stuck there. This robin tried very hard for a long period of time to swallow the crabapple but in the end it spit it out and moved on.

American Robin stirring up some snow

I liked the disturbed snow by the robin’s feet in this frame, the robin had just jumped around in the snow, perhaps it did that to uncover some hidden fruit.

American Robin portrait on a February morning

This image was taken precisely at 10:16 am and by that time I could see that the clouds were approaching quickly from the west and turning the sky a milky white. When this American Robin perched in one of the trees close enough for me to take a portrait of it I decided it would be the last robin I photographed in my session with these beautiful thrushes so I could end it on a high note.

I specifically went searching for these American Robins feeding on crabapples in the snow because I hoped to highlight their beauty with my photos, in my mind I’d say I accomplished my goal. Plus this was my best and most relaxing photographic session with this species to date. Thirty minutes of joy.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my American Robin photos plus facts and information about this species.

All images were taken with my Nikon D500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, at either f8 or f7.1, shutter speed ranged between 1/1600 to 1/4000, ISO was set at 400, EV varied between 0.0 and +0.7.