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Birds - Robin Page 27

Image Taken on 03 Mar 2010 at 17:35    Image of day on 01 Apr 2010

The imminence of Spring has just about everything pairing up. This is obviously a pair of robins - they can see each other and are not fighting!


Ref: 20100401_d35_20100303_1735_019_fb4 pair of robins at dusk(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 06 Feb 2013 at 07:57    Image of day on 10 Mar 2013

We are seeing these 2 robins tolerating each other regularly at this site. Most probably they are nearby territory holding birds accepting each other ready for breeding.


Ref: 20130310_d5c_20130206_0757_121_fb2 pair of robins at log(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 31 Mar 2015 at 06:47    Image of day on 15 May 2015

Love overtures between this pair of Robins. We see similar behaviour (between different pairs of Robins) at all of the ground level photo sites. But at this site the always seem to be so close we wonder how loud the receiving bird must perceive the song.


Ref: 20150515_e64_20150331_0647_082_fb2 2 robins courting(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 27 Feb 2011 at 06:26    Image of day on 03 Apr 2011

This pairing has turned up many times over about a week and must be some of courtship behaviour. In most cases the bird landing here (we assume the male) is already standing on the log with the other (we assume a submissive female) points beak upward without hint of threat.


Ref: 20110403_d5c_20110227_0626_198_fb2 pair of robins courting(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 May 2009 at 18:58    Image of day on 11 Jun 2009

One of those moments that the patience of an automatic camera may capture for you. They are perhaps a foot off the ground.


Ref: 20090611_d35_20090513_1858_026 fb4 2 robins fighting in mid-air (crop 1)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 19 Aug 2009 at 06:14    Image of day on 29 Sep 2009

Robins are very territorial, but we didn't see any evidence of this being more than a brief squabble.


Ref: 20090929_d3a_20090819_0614_072_fb2 2 robins fighting over log (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 24 Mar 2013 at 12:45    Image of day on 28 Apr 2013

The next bout of snow caught these 2 Robins out in the fall. We are not sure of the relationship between these individuals - 3 pairs of Robin each think they 'own' the feeder!


Ref: 20130428_d3b_20130324_1245_280_fb3 2 robins in snow possibly squabbling (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Feb 2011 at 07:53    Image of day on 03 Apr 2011

Its Spring, and there are Robins everywhere, usually spotted in pairs rather than singletons. Out of breeding season robins are rarely seen together except when fighting!


Ref: 20110403_d5c_20110220_0753_092_fb2 pair of robins one flying over the other looking up (orig)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Feb 2018 at 09:32    Image of day on 26 Mar 2018

Winter is a hard time for small birds. Spring has not yet provided a new supply of food, but the bird must feed to keep warm and make a start on the breeding season. When we appear anywhere now, Robins rush about excitedly in the expectation of a hand-out.


Ref: 20180326_df3_20180220_0932_002 2 robins perched in hedge(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 22 Oct 2025 at 13:49    Image of day on 12 Dec 2025

Our Laurel tree is now 4 Metres high and intertwined with several stems of wild Rose climbing to the top and then cascading down the outside. Previously unnoticed among some now fallen Rose leaves we discover this unusually large Robin's Pin Cushion high in the sky. We estimate it as about 5cm diameter


Ref: 20251212_r70_20251022_1349_057 robins pin cushion (about 5cm) on rose growing out of laurel tree about 4 metres high (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 18 May 2025 at 16:08    Image of day on 03 Jul 2025

A Robins Pin cushion only about 15mm (half inch) diameter that parasitise many wild Roses, apparently without causing much distress to the plants. This the smallest we have ever spotted at 1.5cm - about half an inch.


Ref: 20250703_r70_20250518_1608_171 robins pin cushion on rose bush (about 15mm diameter)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Sep 2019 at 15:37    Image of day on 16 Nov 2019

Another sort of Gall on a self propagated wild Rose at the front of the house. These Robins Pin-cushion Galls are really rather attractive, and don't seem to degrade the plants too much.


Ref: 20191116_df3_20190923_1537_030 robins pin-cushion gall 3cm across on cut-back rose(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Aug 2018 at 17:52    Image of day on 09 Oct 2018

This is the Robins Pin-cushion (rose bedeguar gall) on an overhead tendril of Rose rather than on an established plant where we normally see them. Since nearly getting 'spiked' on the head by this tendril, we have spotted several more instances of Pin-cushions on high growth. We think that the insects that induce these galls must have really enjoyed the heat-wave!


Ref: 20181009_d72_20180810_1752_053 robins pin-cushion on new rose tendril(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 04 Aug 2017 at 16:10    Image of day on 09 Sep 2017

The same Robin's Pincushion as it has developed over 10 days.


Ref: 20170909_df3_20170804_1610_014 robins pin-cushion on rose bush(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 25 Jul 2017 at 15:48    Image of day on 09 Sep 2017

This plant parasite, apparently specific to Roses bushes, is this Robin's Pin-cushion. It is really rather pretty, though we doubt that an avid rose grower would agree.


Ref: 20170909_df3_20170725_1548_053 robins pin-cushion on wild rose in meadow (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 08:35    Image of day on 21 Oct 2013

A Wild Rose shoot a few cm high in our 'wildlife friendly' gravel turning area contained 3 Robin's Pincushions - created by a Gall wasp's chemical on this species. This one is only 15mm across (half inch) and was this genuine red.


Ref: 20131021_p10_20130831_0835_976 robins pincushion (about 15mm dia) on rose sapling in front gravel (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 15 Jul 2011 at 17:59    Image of day on 27 Aug 2011

One wild rose is smothered in Robins Pincushion - an insect gall. One at the top of the stem (above this framing) is 6cm in diameter, but these are more typical on this plant at 2 to 3 cm.


Ref: 20110827_p10_20110715_1759_265 2 robins pincushion galls on wild rose (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 31 Aug 2013 at 08:37    Image of day on 21 Oct 2013

A Wild Rose shoot a few cm high in our 'wildlife friendly' gravel turning area contained 3 Robin's Pincushions - created by a Gall wasp's chemical on this species. These larger two are about 5cm (2 inches) across and more quietly coloured than the smaller one.


Ref: 20131021_p10_20130831_0837_985 robins pincushions (each about 50mm dia) on rose sapling in front gravel (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 23 Jan 2017 at 08:06    Image of day on 26 Feb 2017

Two Robin having a scrap. Could be fighting or checking out each other's defensive capabilities while pairing.


Ref: 20170226_e64_20170123_0806_042_fb2 robins skirmishing (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 10 Feb 2017 at 12:57    Image of day on 26 Mar 2017

Snow does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of Robins for a little territorial squabble.


Ref: 20170326_e60_20170210_1257_025_fb3 2 robins skirmishing in flight in snow over perch(r+mb id@768).jpg


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