Holy Tourist Batman…by Brad Marks

Greetings everyone! Woke up today to an unexpected white wonderland – I really need to take better heed of the weather forecasts! Not being able to spend as much time outside this season, my cold conditioning has been lagging. Just the other day I received a letter in the mail from the RAU threatening a lawsuit for “Neglect and Unbecoming Behavior”. Dropped it off at our legal department to add to the “pile” (don’t ask). Upon inquiry, learned that the RAU is the Runner’s Apparel Union that, news to me, my cold weather running wardrobe had recently unionized under. They are pissed that they haven’t been used once this winter and noticed we were already packing for our trip south. They will need to take that up with my ankle doctor. While I get things straightened out with the disgruntled closet, Brad is going to bring you an adventure from across the pond (what expense report ha).

Take it away Brad….

Wildlife Intrigued sent Jan and I on an international birding assignment to Merry Olde England.  The expense report is still pending.  I think Legal is holding it up because they are jealous, they weren’t allowed to go.  Can you blame HQ after the photocopy incident last time they were given responsibility?

On one of our free mornings, Jan’s cousin Louise offered to take us to Rutland Water Nature Reserve (RWNP) to see some birds.  How could we refuse?  The morning started out misty and cloudy, a typical English morning you’re thinking.  However, in our experience, a very small percentage of mornings actually start this way.  The movies have us all thinking that England, or more specifically London, is full of dark and gloomy places shrouded in a thick fog; best keep that brolly handy.  Jan and I have made a few trips across the pond, and in the 70+ days we’ve spent there in total, only 2-3 have been truly rainy or the type of weather we needed a Mackintosh or Wellies after your morning cuppa. 

After breakfast, Louise said she would drive.  I was secretly relieved because while I am able to drive on the wrong, er, left side of the road, I’m not as confident as I need to be on the narrow hedge-lined roadways.  Instead of driving the tiny European rental car (I could barely fit my normal U.S. sized feet under the dashboard to work the pedals), we rode to RWNP in style in a Jaaaaag (hoping the increased amount of “a’s” help with the proper pronunciation).  Once we secured a spot in the car park, I put Jan’s camera together first.  Then she and Louise headed off to the visitor center.  I finished my camera, put the strap around my shoulder, and shut the boot on the Jaaaaag.  As I wandered up the trail, I saw Jan snapping away at something sweetly singing in the shrubbery.  But, as usual, by the time I got there it was gone.

Hit the jump to read more about this spiffy looking bird from across the pond.

It’s a European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), a +1 for us.  It may also be a +1 for Wildlife Intrigued from across the pond, at least I think it is.

As the Robin switched its gaze up and down the path, it must have known Jan and I have trouble remembering which way to look when crossing a road or coming to an intersection.  Remember, England drives on the left side of the road from the right-hand side of the car. Crazy, I know.  I’ve done it a few times in a few different kinds of cars.  It’s not so hard adjusting when travelling TO England.  The hard part for me is adjusting to driving on the right side of the road when we get back home to America, especially on roundabouts.  I try to remember to keep the center line (or lane separator) outside my door, whichever country I’m driving in.  Thankfully there aren’t many B-roads (very narrow lanes with no shoulder) or smaller here in the States.  In the UK, B-roads (or heaven forbid you get caught on a C-road) make up over 85% of the roads in the UK.

For me, up to this point, all I had was Merlin telling me there was a European Robin singing nearby.  I learned later it was the one Jan was already photographing.

It’s now looking straight at Jan as if to ask, “Did you get it?  Huh, did’ja?”  I don’t really think it’s sticking its tongue out at her.  I think it’s a small berry the Robin was going to snack on next.  Maybe a bit of taunting . . . a second time, perhaps?

Glancing over its shoulder, I couldn’t help but project a thought bubble over this bird saying,” I wonder if anyone else saw me singing.”  As far as I could tell, there weren’t any Britain’s Got Talent scouts hiding in the shrubbery.  No one with a herring either.

Of course, I’m making up the entire story, because as usual, I wasn’t there to see it.

The European Robin is a bit smaller than the American version, more the size of a sparrow.  European Robins are known to perch in conspicuous locations to sing or look for food.  That’s precisely where Jan found this one, on an exposed perch right next to the trail.  Seconds later, it retreated into the dense brush. 

Not quite “hedge lining the road” dense, but close enough.  Robins are very territorial with both females and males maintaining separate territories outside the breeding season.  A pair will be monogamous during a single breeding season, but then back on the market as soon as it’s over.  A pair of Robins will often raise two broods of 4-7 chicks during a season.  The male continues to feed fledglings from the first brood while the female often starts a second brood.

Once I caught up with Jan and Louise, we paid the small visitor and parking fee, picked up a guide map, and walked to the blinds to see what we could see.  Oh yeah, and the sun is shining.  Typical England.

Thank you for reading.  If you want to see more European Robin photos, please visit here.

Credits:

Thanks again to Jan for proofreading and editing.  Thanks to Jan for all of the photos in this article.