Guru4tru Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 I'm from PA. and I have some relatives still in PA. and every year I contact them to tell them that "Spring Is On It's Way!! Every year the "Robins" migrate through Royal Palm Beach on their trip north and they started coming through last Saturday! So, if anyone out there is good at math and birds (Jeepster, Hedgewarden, Pete or others)...just figure out how long it takes a "Flock of Robins" to fly from Royal Palm to your location and you will know when Spring will be there!! heehee! (I suppose those in the Pacfic Northwest will have to find their own flocking birds! heehee!!) Here's a picture I took today...If you see this guy, tell him I said, "Hi!" You all will be flying soon!! heehee! (as I start to head for air conditioned spaces!! heehee!!) Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
--Pete Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 According to this article: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/RobinNotes3.html ...robins migrate at an average of 38 miles per day. According to google maps the road distance from Guru4Tru to myself in Ypsilanti, Michigan is 1288 miles -- call it 1200 as the crow (or robin) flies. At 38 mpd this requires about 31 and 1/2 days. Making it about the 29th or 30th of March when they should get here. I'll be looking for them. (You can count on me for abstruse calculations.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 According to this article: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/search/RobinNotes3.html ...robins migrate at an average of 38 miles per day. According to google maps the road distance from Guru4Tru to myself in Ypsilanti, Michigan is 1288 miles -- call it 1200 as the crow (or robin) flies. At 38 mpd this requires about 31 and 1/2 days. Making it about the 29th or 30th of March when they should get here. I'll be looking for them. (You can count on me for abstruse calculations.) Hey Pete!!! That's Great! If anyone wants to know about "anything" that flys...this is the place to ask! Even "Robins!" heehee! I was surprised though, those birds travel a lot faster then I expected. That's a lot of wing flapping...Pete...how many wing flaps does a robin have to make between my place and yours? (Just Kidding!) Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
--Pete Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Well, they fly at up to 30 mph when migrating, so they only have to fly for an hour or two per day. Good thing; they need some time to replace all that energy. Thinking back at viewing robins in flight, my GUESS is that they flap at about 15-25 flaps per second. (Geese and swans are about 3 fps; ducks are about 7; good way to tell ducks from geese when all you can see is a tiny dot against the sky.) 31 days x 5400 secs (1.5 hrs) x 15 gives about 2.5 million as a lower bound. 31 x 7200 x 25 gives 5.5 million as an upper bound. So, my guess is about about 4 million flaps (give or take a million) for a robin to fly from your place to mine. (Very rough guess; ready to be contradicted.) I think I will applaud the first robins; they will have worked hard to get here. (Never kid a kidder.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
--Pete Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Well, they made it a bit faster than I expected. A few out-lyers arrived by the 21st-22nd, and they were everywhere by the 24th-25th. Hooray for all you brave, dedicated little robins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guru4tru Posted March 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Well, they made it a bit faster than I expected. A few out-lyers arrived by the 21st-22nd, and they were everywhere by the 24th-25th. Hooray for all you brave, dedicated little robins. Hey Pete! That's Really Cool!! And your "flight timing" prediction was pretty close! I think I should take on the responsibility of being the "Robin Watcher" each year to send a ray of hope up North to all you "snow birds" and give you forewarning so y'all can start getting the dust off your kites...because "Spring Is Coming"!! Way to go Pete...I'm impressed! I think America should now also change their standard from Punxsutawney Phil & Groundhog Day to: "Royal Palm Robins Day!!" Please make the necessary adjustments next year and we'll really home in on these birds! (That's if Baloo doesn't eat them all before then!) Keep It Up! Duane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 I don't know, Duane!! If they're all covered in chocolate he might get them all!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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