Are there more than more than one black-backed form of American
Robin? I was not aware that black-backed robins are at all unusual
in Maryland. If memory serves, the first time I saw one was on the
Ocean City Christmas Count in 1964. I was a high school student,
covering the South Point territory with Gladys Cole. At one point
she said, in her beautiful South Carolina drawl, "Oh look, there's a
Yankee Robin!" with Yankee said in such a tone that it wasn't
necessarily a complement. She explained to me that the ones with the
black backs come from the farthest north, and to them, a South Point
winter was like a summer vacation. They seem to be regular but
uncommon on the lower shore, and always remind me of her. Of the 4
robins at my bird bath this morning, one was a black-backed
individual. Speaking of robins, I have a regular robin coming to my
feeder to eat raisins - the first time I have ever seen that. He
stops by 5-6 times and goes through a handful a day. He likes tart
cherry raisins too, but so do I and they are very expensive, so he
gets the cheap Wal-Mart raisins.
Paul Bystrak
3709 Devonshire Drive
Salisbury, MD 21804
410-572-9950
443-783-1268 (cell)
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