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Re: Could the Dead Robins be a casualty of the snow?



In response to the question posed, the answer is "no". I was on my way
to Jordan Lake down US 1 at Cary on Sunday, and saw some of the carnage
myself. Not only were there 10 or more dead robins on the road, but
panicked robins were flying out of the bushes, reported to be a thorny
elaeagnus, and nearly getting hit by vehicles. These bushes are in a
median between the highway, and I think also between the highway and an
exit ramp road. At any rate, trucks and cars are passing by on BOTH
sides of the bushes, within about 10 feet, and the robins fly out when
big trucks come by.

Several of these notes have been passed on to staff at NC DOT, who
indicated they will check out the concern. Hopefully, these bushes can
be removed soon. And, hopefully, other berry-bearing bushes can be
removed from other medians. It is probably OK to have such bushes
planted on the OUTSIDES of the highways, where birds can fly back into
woods or fields on one side. But, such bushes shouldn't be planted in
the medians. Sure, the loss of robins was brought on by the extreme cold
(the birds might not have been out there were there no snow or severe
weather), but the fact remains, a fair number of robins (and probably
other birds) have been killed along US 1 at the Cary - Walnut Street
intersection.

Harry LeGrand

Don Patterson wrote:
> 
> Has anyone seen a number of dead robins before now.  I haven't heard of any.
> Where I live in the mountains we don't have robins this time of year, but in
> the past when we have had late snows, late March early April and the Robins
> are present they seem to congregate along the plowed roadsides looking for
> food.  I remember a few years ago a 8 inch snow the last day of march or the
> 1st day of April, i think I hit 8 Robins in about a less than 10 miles and
> many near misses.  There were lots of expired robins alond the road from
> other collisions
> 
> They seem to wait until the last minute and fly infront of the vehicles.
> 
> I've seen this happen more than once.
> 
> Before I would get to excited about the shrubery think I would do some more
> checking to see if it's still happening after the snow
> 
> Don Patterson
> Mt. Mitchell Lands
> Yancey County
> donp@yancey.main.nc.us

-- 
Harry LeGrand
NC Natural Heritage Program
1615 MSC
Raleigh, NC 27699-1615
(919) 715-8687 (work)
FAX: 919-715-3085
e-mail: harry.legrand@ncmail.net