Spring Pastels

Day 143: Spring is not a myth. Despite snow flurries today, the robins are out en masse. These are not our winter robins, no. The winter group has flown north, returning to Alaska. These are Oregon's robins...or I should say, these are our robins returning from a vacation in a warmer climate.

The robin exchange is well documented and occurs almost everywhere these birds are found. Most people believe that they have the same robins year-'round, but that's not true. I don't quite follow the robin logic here, since obviously the needs of the incoming robins are adequately met. Why don't the outgoing robins simply stay on? Is some holdover gene spurring them to migrate in the fashion of their antecedents? Or is it just because they enjoy a change of scenery? In any event, a swell of red-breasted spring heralds has arrived, and are chanting a chorus of chirps to dispel the snow.