The other day, despite the snow and cold weather, I saw a robin hopping around outside in the park near where I live, where a small stream flows through and underneath the downtown buildings. I got to thinking, "How wonderful, spring has finally arrived." Not that the winter has been all that harsh, cold or snowy, but there have been times when I longed for spring, especially when I could hike in 70 degree weather in the middle of January and be buried under snow in February.
Funny, is it not, how a bird and not a tree can signal spring? I mean, we watch the trees to signal fall and watch the sky to signal winter. The trees along the main street have not even started to bud yet, even though the calendar and the sun say it is already spring, but there was the robin, head turned to the side, listening for a worm that would become his midday meal.
Robins are as American as moms, Chevrolet, apple pie and baseball.
The American robin is probably the most widespread and most well-known song bird in the United States and, probably the best known harbinger of spring in the nation, regardless of where you live.
The star of songs and children's books; subject of legends and poems; the official bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin; and the symbol of cheer and happiness - that is our robin.
How many times has this red-breasted delight brightened the start of your day with its lilting morning wake-up song?
Have you ever seen how excited children become (and adults too) when they first spot that sparkling red breast bouncing merrily along some still-frozen ground? I watched a little boy screaming with delight at the park when he witnessed the same robin I had seen.
Indeed, this bird is so well-loved and accepted that both boys and girls carry the honored name of Robin.
Legend has it that home-sick colonists named the American robin after the similar-looking but unrelated European bird. However, the robin name and fame go back centuries before that.
One English legend recalls a time when Jesus, Mary and Joseph stopped for the night in an open area, with only a small fire to keep them warm on a bone-chilling night. The robin, sensing the special nature of the Christ child, spent the night fanning the flames of the fire with its wings to keep the fire alive and the child warm.
Because he was so close to the fire for so long, the bird's chest became red from the heat, and it remained red as a symbol of his gentle care for the special Child.
Maybe that is why poet William Blake wrote way back in the early 19th century, believed to be 1803, in his poem "Auguries of Innocence", "A robin red breast in a cage puts all Heaven in a rage."
Seeing that robin that morning signals the arrival of spring once again.
Some people dread spring, because it means a time of mud as snow melts and rain falls, especially in New England, where spring usually means maple syrup season; or the beginning of tourist season, especially in Washington, D.C., where crowds of tourists make their way to the National Cherry Blossom Festival along the National Mall.
Others dread spring because it is time to get outside and plant the garden, start digging weeds and getting rid of dead plants left over from last year's harvest, or mow the lawn. School children like spring, because it means they can spend more time outdoors and summer is just down the road and they can be out of school for three months.
I like spring, because the earth is alive once again. The sap starts flowing, the flowers bud, the grass greens and trees and flowers bloom in all the colors of the rainbow. Birds return from warmer climates and everything seems vital and alive.
Even though there is always the threat of a late freeze or a surprise snow storm, especially here in the mountains of the West, where they advise not to plant anything until late May, everything around us reminds us that warmer weather and better days are on the way and just over the horizon.
Spring to me means it is time to take out the camping gear, air it out, and get things ready for a nice hiking trip up the Barr Trail to stay in the Barr Cabin or camp along the shores of Lake George, or to prepare to spend the night under the stars in the shadow of Cheyenne Mountain.
Whatever spring means to you, remember the robin, sit back and watch nature erupt around you. Enjoy life for a few weeks and watch the mountains green as the rivers start flowing faster as nature and its harmonies begin their annual song.
And, while you are at it, listen for the song of the robin. The male of the species has a great voice and a good repertoire as he entertains with both morning and evening performances. He is not a blues singer, by any means. The robin is a specialist in cheery caroling. The robin reminds us that spring is not a time to be blue, it is a time to rejoice.
To find the robin, you only have to look in yards, trees, shrubs, fields, farms and woods. They are not fussy birds and will live anywhere they can find food and adequate shelter. They eat worms, berries, insects, and can even be tempted by fresh fruit, peanut butter, cheese and doughnuts.
Robins average 10 inches in length. The male has a rusty or brick-red breast with a black head and tail, white around the eyes, slate gray back, streaked white throat and a yellow beak. The female is similar in color, but not as flashy.
Sometimes we have an odd tendency to take nature for granted and we fail to see the beauty in a spring day, or in a simple bird.
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