'Curious' If Robins Are Sign Of Early Spring

If you're like a lot of people you're seeing a sight that we usually associate with the coming of Spring. And if you're like a lot of people who are already tired of the cold and snow, you're yearning for Spring.

Several people have posted questions on our Curiosity Web site. Dale from Southbridge asks: "Why have I seen so many Robins?" And Tom from Townsend adds: "Does this mean spring is going to come early?"

Well we spoke to Chris Lahey at the Audubon Society. Chris is one of the Society's bird experts. Unfortunately he told us that seeing a lot of Robins at this time of year is definitely not a sign that spring is going to come early.

He says it's a myth that all robins head south for the winter. In fact, many of them stay right here.

As to why we're seeing so many, well, robins and other songbirds produced a lot of babies last year, so the population is larger.

There's also one as yet unproven theory that climate change is playing a role. Some people wonder if a warming climate means some birds are wintering farther north.

The photographer who took the pictures we included in our story is Shawn Carey. To learn more about his work visit www.migrationproductions.com.

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