Behind Horrocks in trees by a motel, I saw a large flock (40+) of robins. A wee bit early, folks. Last year, my earliest sighting was March 15. With all the snow cover, I don't know what they will eat.
PS. I did some research and came across a 2013 article by MSU extension that indicates that indeed some robins overwinter in MI. Their food source is fruit once it gets too cold for worms. I'm thinking crabapples and shrubs that form berries. Their beaks aren't made to crack seeds so that's why you don't see them on or below a feeder. I'm heavily leaning towards the idea that this flock I saw had just flown in. They would not hang out together if they had stayed-too many birds competing for scant resources. I think what happened was that in early January, it was weirdly warm in the country, March-like in MI. This warmth must have triggered the "time to go north" programming and away they went. Poor sods.
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