We let the zoos be for now. I hope they become a place of refuge and education, as they should. This is a post about Marlfield Lake inhabitants who are free to move around as they please. The low fence is protecting them from the visitors who can fall in the water and frighten the chicks. I have mentioned Marfield lake in one of my last year’s posts.
Robins live an average 2 years, but it all depends. If there are no predators, the weather is good and the food is plenty they might live a decade. This particular robin has been around for some 5-6 years. Of course I cannot tell for sure that it is exactly the same robin, but I think I recognize the behavior.
As it happened, during my latest visit the robin had been moulting.
He probably could not fly well, so he hid in the shrubs and came out only to pick up some crumbs.
A century-and-a-half long history of feeding the local waterfowl with bread has probably made them sort of domesticated.
After the lunch, robin comes from behind the fence to visit with me. When there are no dogs around, this robin can come quite close. He is a great poser.
Look at him! He is standing right next to my feet.
The robin is hopping around, picking something invisible from the cracks in the rocks.
I notice something else, and say bye-bye to him. I swear he knows the word.
‘Something else’ is a young blackbird that sits on the ground behind the fence with his wings spread wide. There is nothing wrong with him. He is just cooling himself.
I wonder why he doesn’t walk to the water and drink a few drops to cool off. May be he is afraid of the swan family? This is a daddy swan…
… and this is his mate and their cute fluffy cygnets.
I also spot four female ducks strategically perched on a fallen tree, minding each other’s back.
If you think that I have posted too many bird pictures in this blog, here are two butterflies and two very useful herbs for you.
Red Admiral – Vanessa atalanta, a very common butterfly around the Marlfield Lake.
Speckled Wood butterfly.
Fragrant Pineapple weed is good for your stomach. When you crush its feathery leaf between your fingers, you feel that sweet pineapple scent. If you taste a flower head, it has a light citrus flavor.
Hedge Woundwort smells like mouse urine – so they say; for me it is just a very unpleasant aroma. Woundwort is a very powerful antiseptic remedy, healing to the wounded tissues.
I will be away for a couple of weeks. For my next blog I have scheduled a Halloween ghost story, and after that you can walk around the Mount Congreve Gardens two weekends in a row 🙂
I link this blog post to the Robin’s blog – you can see why 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend!
Making memories 
Love the 3rd photo ~ as it reminds me of a sight I’d see almost every day when I was a kid and every morning a robin would come and sing…my sister and I would always get excited by this, Your photos and writing brings back a great feeling of nostalgia ~ perfect for a nice autumn day. Wishing you well Inese.
Thank you so much, Dalo! I am glad that my post brought back good memories. Our robins might look different than yours, but their songs are equally delightful 🙂 Have a happy Halloween weekend!
thank you for sharing your little
and bigger flying friends, Inese 🙂
Thank you so much for joining me on this walk!
Those European Robins are cute. Are they seed eaters? The American version have an uncanny ability to find and extract earthworms for their dinner.
BTW, you asked an earlier commenter about our juvenile robins. They’re already larger than wrens, and their breasts are orange but have a lot of dark speckles – that kind of threw me off when I first started learning bird id.
Thank you Dave! It is interesting that the juveniles look pretty much like the adult birds. A couple of months ago I posted a picture of a juvenile European robin, and it has no orange breast feathers. All speckled brown.
I love to watch American robins when they hunt for the earthworms. They look pretty fierce 🙂 Our robin eats insects and some fruit. His bill is not strong enough to dig the earthworms out, but he would eat them if they were on the surface.
The robin looks so cute! It must have felt comfortable in your presence to come near you. I think animals seem to always understand what we are saying. You could speak to them in any language and they get you. It’s quite amazing! 🙂 I loved every capture of yours. These days, I’m fascinated by butterflies. Thanks for taking me on this little journey in the wild.
Thank you so much! There was no one close, but me, and the moulting robin needed a company 🙂 Also, it probably helped that my face and eyes were obstructed with the camera. Animals don’t really like our eyes 🙂
Inese, you are such a sweetheart! 😊💞
Thank you for thinking of me and I must say an apology. I wish I had been the first one here, dear friend.
I hope the ones who visited saw the little blue jay. 🐦
I loved the moulting robin who was so adorable and friendly. I bet he does recognize the word, “bye bye.”
I didn’t realize it is harder to fly due to less feathers. Poor baby. Robins in your part of the world look like small, adorable wrens with red chest and white fluffy feathers.
I liked the special butterflies. The red admiral may be common at this lake and area but I thought it was quite beautiful. The speckled wood butterfly was very nice, too. It would be able to blend in well.
I hope you get to have special moments with the little one and maybe bake cookies. 🍪
Hope your trip is safe, perfect and blessed. 🕊
Thank you so much, Robin! Yes, our robins look like your wrens 🙂 When the moulting is done, the white spots will be replaced with the new brown/grey feathers. By the way, young European robins are brown with no red chest at all. I wonder if young American robins are the same ? xxxx
I’m glad you balanced those birds with pictures of butterflies ; ) Oh boy, I hope the little robin stays safe. My husband has bird friends that he also names and stresses over.
I am sure the birds understand a lot, and know their names. You should see the way my robin pricked up his ears when I said ‘bye-bye” 🙂 He looked very disappointed.
Nice images! Do you encounter many butterflies? I have bad luck, especially with moths.
Thank you! No, I very seldom get close to a butterfly, it is why I was so delighted 🙂 We have fencing everywhere. It is difficult to follow a butterfly with a camera 🙂
Really enjoyed your robin pix – I think everybody loves robins. We do not have so many in Florida but up north they were everywhere. Love the butterfly pix too – they are definitely different from the ones around here. Enjoy your break!
Thank you so much! 🙂 This summer I only managed to catch two big butterflies with my camera. I was very delighted even though the picture is not good. The other butterfly came out much better and I will share the picture in one of my posts later this winter.
I like the idea of the ‘sort of domesticated’ robins at Marlfield Lake. Your little friend is a delight, Inese, and I hope he lives a few more years. I didn’t know that robins could reach ten years old – although I did note the ‘ideal’ conditions you listed for that to happen. The fluffed up blackbird is lovely, too, as are the other bird species. And red admirals are gorgeous. We’ve had a lot this year on our buddleia davidii bush. A delightful post and I had a laugh at the Hedge Woundwort that smells like mouse urine. I wonder what that has evolved to attract or repel?
Have a great two weeks off. 😀
Thank you Millie! My book says ‘ mouse urine’, but I have no opinion 🙂 I absolutely love this plant, even though it is quite stinky.
This robin will always have food, and I hope the birds of prey ignore a tiny skinny bunch of feathers. Now I think he might be even older than six years.
Have a happy October!
Oh I just love how you followed this little fellow. I forget how different robins can look! Wisconsin’s state bird is the robin, after all, and he looks very little like your orange-breasted companion. I should do a bird post one of these days…
Yes, American robin is so very different, but both are curious and brave 🙂 So cool that the robin is your state bird. Of course you should do a robin post 🙂
Yes! But I’ll have to wait until spring–at least two robins will build nests in our yard. 🙂 xxxxxx
So wonderful! They are busy parents and do a lot of bug-picking in the garden xxxxxx
Safe journey, Inese! We’ll see you back here with your much anticipated Halloween story. 🎃
Thank you so much!
The story will be posted next Saturday, and after that two other posts are already scheduled as I am going to have a jet lag and all. Have a happy Halloween! xx
Such beautiful photographs… that little Robin is so perfect…. Excellent post, dear Inese… have a great weekend. Hugs 😀
Thank you so much dear Aquileana! Have a wonderful creative week! xx
What a marvelous post, Inese! Your little robin really made me smile. Such an inquisitive face. Yes, he definitely knows you’re talking to him. 😀 Enjoy your break. I’m looking forward to your ghost story. Hugs on the wing!
Thank you Teagan! Enjoy your weekend!
Another gorgeous post, Irene. I always see one robin in my garden, but I don’t think it can be always the same one. Thanks for the colour, Inese. With the horrible weather today that has made my day. Look forward to the Halloween post.
Oh Olga, this weather concerns me a lot as I am going to travel soon. Two hurricanes in a week is a bit too much. xx
Safe journeys my friend.
Thank you!
Robins do seem tamer than a lot of other birds. there’s one that visits my garden frequently, but as to whether it’s the same one as six years ago, I’m not sure! It like my holly tree in particular. My mother has one that feeds out of her hand. They have a wonderful song, even if sometimes in translation they are trading insults with other robins and making it clear whose territory is whose. I’ve seen a lot of red admiral butterflies in the last week or two, having hardly seen one all summer. It seems a bit late in the year to me, so I’m not sure how much longer they will last.
Lovely pictures, as usual, Inese. Thanks for sharing them 🙂
Thank you so much, Sarah. It is amazing that your Mother has tamed a robin. Amazing trust.
Yes, the birds fight quite often, but at the same time a group of siblings can be very close until they find their mates.
I went to the lake in July. I imagine the cygnets are all grown up by now, and all the butterflies gone.
Thank you again for your comment! 🙂
My mother has a way with birds and absolutely loves them. They are extra well-fed on her territory!
Lucky birds 🙂
Such a lovely place and beautiful, beautiful photos, Inese! Love the robin, such a courageous little bird! Have a wonderful time off! Looking forward to your Halloween story!!! 😄😱 xxxxxxxxx🐦
Thank you Sarah! Hope the Halloween story came out scary 😉 xxxxxxx
Your Robin is different from our Robin. And I read your first comment and SO hope you are doing well after your heart attack. Your pictures are so beautiful and I thank you for sharing them! Have a wonderful day! 🍁
Thank you! No it was not my heart attack, but the other blogger’s who commented on my post. I am very close to a heart attack though :). I am having a long flight next week and I am terrified.
BIG (((HUGS))) and a safe flight!!!
Thank you!
Wonderful Post and Photography Ms inespe. The E-Robin is a wonderful little bird and a delight to read about. Thank you so much for sharing. g (ps. I am out of hospital and resting from my heart attack)
Oh my goodness John. Hope you are doing all right…
Resting and trying to be good Ms inese … don’t want to get any bleeding started. No photographs for a while. g
Take it easy. No pressure. Prayers sent your way.
I never tire of your bird photos. The butterflies were also captured beautifully. I’m excited to read your ghost story!
Thank you! 🙂 I wouldn’t be surprised you know the lady I am going to write about. It is difficult to find a new ghost story. You, at least, can write about yourself on Halloween 😉
Hmm. I do enjoy stories with female villains. It will be a treat to read your work! Ha! Yes, I also have a Halloween costume I can slip into soon. 👻☠️🎃
You are lovely already 🙂
Aw, shucks. 🙂