Hedgehog

On 2007-10-13, Dave Adalian <dave.adalian RemoveThis @NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> What's their airspeed?
>
> -- Dave
>
NA robins? Built to breed, not for speed - certainly can't outfly a raptor.
Usually seen hopping in gardens. looking hopefully at gardeners with shovels
Loud melodic singing voices in spring - usually found outside a bedroom window,
starts an hour before real dawn.
First-seen robin marks the beginning of spring and the end of winter lay-ins.

English robin? AFAIR, it seemed similar to a purple finch in habits

--
just 43° 58' 09" N - 80° 58' 45" W
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"Larry Moore" <ljmoore DeleteThis @localhost.localdomain> wrote in message
news:slrnfh1um4.a4a.ljmoore@localhost.localdomain...
> On 2007-10-13, Free Lunch <lunch DeleteThis @nofreelunch.us> wrote:
>> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 GMT, in alt.books.pratchett
>> Lesley Weston <brightly_coloured_blob DeleteThis @yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
>><C3363596.650AA%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk>:
>>>in article l8CdnbHKZs1SC5PanZ2dnUVZ8qijnZ2d DeleteThis @bt.com, Tiny Bulcher at
>>>alycidon9@btinternet.com wrote on 11/10/2007 2:33 PM:
>>>
>>>It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're
>>>about
>>>the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched on a
>>>gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in Spring
>>>of
>>>standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of their red
>>>breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not only are they
>>>handsome, they are also good providers.
>>>
>>>[1] Hardly surprising, since that's what they are.
>>
>> What is a European robin? I had no idea that there was a difference.
>
> From my two visits to England, the english robin is about the size of a
> chickadee and about as active. The breast isn't as red and don't
> recall if they sang as much as their N.A. namesake.
>

What's their airspeed?

-- Dave

Read my latest astronomy column!
http://starry-starry-nights.blogspot.com/
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 +0000, Lesley Weston wrote:

> in article l8CdnbHKZs1SC5PanZ2dnUVZ8qijnZ2d.TakeThisOut@bt.com, Tiny Bulcher at
> alycidon9.TakeThisOut@btinternet.com wrote on 11/10/2007 2:33 PM:
>
>> þus cwæð Daibhid Ceanaideach :
>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that A.Reader <anonymously.TakeThisOut@example.com> did
>>> say:
>>>
>>>> On 11 Oct 2007 20:18:04 GMT,
>>>> Daibhid Ceanaideach <daibhidchenedelh.TakeThisOut@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that Lesley Weston
>>>>> <brightly_coloured_blob.TakeThisOut@yahoo.co.uk> did say:
>>>>>
>>>>>> In the UK, chickadees are known as bluetits.
>>>>>
>>>>> Yes. In much in the same way as bobcats are known as Scottish
>>>>> wildcats, and rattlesnakes are known as adders.
>>>>
>>>> erm, scottish wildcats (f. silv. grampia) aren't the same species
>>>> (conventionally not even the same genus) as the North American bobcat
>>>> (lynx rufus).
>>>>
>>>> Or was that the point you were making and I missed it?
>>>
>>> It was indeed, but as Tiny says, I was being unnecessarily sarcastic.
>>
>> I'm sure somebody will say something stoopid about Doctor Who soon, and
>> then you can wax sarcastic all you like, very necessarily.
>>
>> (If it's any consolation, had it been robins, you would have been bang
>> on).
>>
>>
> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're
> about the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched
> on a gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in
> Spring of standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of
> their red breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not
> only are they handsome, they are also good providers.

Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:

"How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."

--
David Sewell "They that are awake have one world in common,
White Hall, Virginia but of the sleeping each turns aside into
USA a world of his own." --Heraclitus
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

"Dave Adalian" <dave.adalian.RemoveThis@NOSPAMsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:bqbQi.33745
>> From my two visits to England, the english robin is about the size of a
>> chickadee and about as active. The breast isn't as red and don't
>> recall if they sang as much as their N.A. namesake.
>>
>
> What's their airspeed?
>
With or without a coconut?
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

in article qmq1h31206gg3faba0qpq10diii32tp45t.TakeThisOut@4ax.com, Free Lunch at
lunch.TakeThisOut@nofreelunch.us wrote on 13/10/2007 8:57 AM:

> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 GMT, in alt.books.pratchett
> Lesley Weston <brightly_coloured_blob.TakeThisOut@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
> <C3363596.650AA%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk>:
>> in article l8CdnbHKZs1SC5PanZ2dnUVZ8qijnZ2d.TakeThisOut@bt.com, Tiny Bulcher at
>> alycidon9.TakeThisOut@btinternet.com wrote on 11/10/2007 2:33 PM:
>>
>>> þus cwæð Daibhid Ceanaideach :
>>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that A.Reader
>>>> <anonymously.TakeThisOut@example.com> did say:
>>>>
>>>>> On 11 Oct 2007 20:18:04 GMT,
>>>>> Daibhid Ceanaideach <daibhidchenedelh.TakeThisOut@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that Lesley Weston
>>>>>> <brightly_coloured_blob.TakeThisOut@yahoo.co.uk> did say:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In the UK, chickadees are known as bluetits.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Yes. In much in the same way as bobcats are known as
>>>>>> Scottish wildcats, and rattlesnakes are known as adders.
>>>>>
>>>>> erm, scottish wildcats (f. silv. grampia) aren't the same
>>>>> species (conventionally not even the same genus) as the
>>>>> North American bobcat (lynx rufus).
>>>>>
>>>>> Or was that the point you were making and I missed it?
>>>>
>>>> It was indeed, but as Tiny says, I was being unnecessarily
>>>> sarcastic.
>>>
>>> I'm sure somebody will say something stoopid about Doctor Who soon, and
>>> then you can wax sarcastic all you like, very necessarily.
>>>
>>> (If it's any consolation, had it been robins, you would have been bang
>>> on).
>>>
>>>
>> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're about
>> the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched on a
>> gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in Spring of
>> standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of their red
>> breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not only are they
>> handsome, they are also good providers.
>>
>> [1] Hardly surprising, since that's what they are.
>
> What is a European robin? I had no idea that there was a difference.

It's cute:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/253.shtml

Not that American robins aren't also cute, but the European one is much
smaller and rounder and friendlier - more like a chickadee. Quite bold and
given to following gardeners about as they dig and thus reveal suitable food
for robins. They feature on Christmas cards a lot.

For comparison:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Robin.html

--
Lesley Weston.

Brightly_coloured_blob is real, but I don't often check even the few bits
that get through Yahoo's filters. To reach me, use leswes att shaw dott ca,
changing spelling and spacing as required.
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

On Sun, 14 Oct 2007 17:06:18 GMT, in alt.books.pratchett
Lesley Weston <brightly_coloured_blob.DeleteThis@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
<C3379B0A.65147%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk>:
>in article qmq1h31206gg3faba0qpq10diii32tp45t.DeleteThis@4ax.com, Free Lunch at
>lunch@nofreelunch.us wrote on 13/10/2007 8:57 AM:
>
>> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 GMT, in alt.books.pratchett
>> Lesley Weston <brightly_coloured_blob.DeleteThis@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in
>> <C3363596.650AA%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk>:
>>> in article l8CdnbHKZs1SC5PanZ2dnUVZ8qijnZ2d.DeleteThis@bt.com, Tiny Bulcher at
>>> alycidon9.DeleteThis@btinternet.com wrote on 11/10/2007 2:33 PM:
>>>
>>>> þus cwæð Daibhid Ceanaideach :
>>>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that A.Reader
>>>>> <anonymously.DeleteThis@example.com> did say:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11 Oct 2007 20:18:04 GMT,
>>>>>> Daibhid Ceanaideach <daibhidchenedelh.DeleteThis@aol.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 'Twas on the 11 Oct 2007, that Lesley Weston
>>>>>>> <brightly_coloured_blob.DeleteThis@yahoo.co.uk> did say:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> In the UK, chickadees are known as bluetits.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yes. In much in the same way as bobcats are known as
>>>>>>> Scottish wildcats, and rattlesnakes are known as adders.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> erm, scottish wildcats (f. silv. grampia) aren't the same
>>>>>> species (conventionally not even the same genus) as the
>>>>>> North American bobcat (lynx rufus).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Or was that the point you were making and I missed it?
>>>>>
>>>>> It was indeed, but as Tiny says, I was being unnecessarily
>>>>> sarcastic.
>>>>
>>>> I'm sure somebody will say something stoopid about Doctor Who soon, and
>>>> then you can wax sarcastic all you like, very necessarily.
>>>>
>>>> (If it's any consolation, had it been robins, you would have been bang
>>>> on).
>>>>
>>>>
>>> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're about
>>> the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched on a
>>> gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in Spring of
>>> standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of their red
>>> breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not only are they
>>> handsome, they are also good providers.
>>>
>>> [1] Hardly surprising, since that's what they are.
>>
>> What is a European robin? I had no idea that there was a difference.
>
>It's cute:
>
>http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/253.shtml

Thanks to all who answered. It's nice to know that our common language
strikes again.

>Not that American robins aren't also cute, but the European one is much
>smaller and rounder and friendlier - more like a chickadee. Quite bold and
>given to following gardeners about as they dig and thus reveal suitable food
>for robins. They feature on Christmas cards a lot.

I have seen pictures of them before, but I never knew that this was the
bird that the English called a robin. No wonder scientists ignore
popular names.

>For comparison:
>
>http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/American_Robin.html
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

in article pan.2007.10.14.02.15.17 RemoveThis @gmail.com, David Sewell at
DavidR.Sewell RemoveThis @gmail.com wrote on 13/10/2007 7:15 PM:

> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 +0000, Lesley Weston wrote:

<snip>

>> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're
>> about the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched
>> on a gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in
>> Spring of standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of
>> their red breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not
>> only are they handsome, they are also good providers.
>
> Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
> mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:
>
> "How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
> the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
> it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."

Yes, but Nabokov's characters fancied little girls.

--
Lesley Weston.

Brightly_coloured_blob is real, but I don't often check even the few bits
that get through Yahoo's filters. To reach me, use leswes att shaw dott ca,
changing spelling and spacing as required.
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

Lesley Weston wrote:
> DavidR.Sewell DeleteThis @gmail.com wrote on 13/10/2007 7:15 PM:
>> Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
>> mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:
>>
>> "How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
>> the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
>> it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."
>
> Yes, but Nabokov's characters fancied little girls.

I don't know the character involved, or the author, but is there any
reason why any such predilections in this latter world-view have a
bearing upon the ability to judge ornithological aesthetics?

(Off-group, for obvious reasons.)
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

Len Oil wrote:
[blah]
> (Off-group, for obvious reasons.)

Apologies for not going to mail when I thought I had. A slip of the
mouse was the start of my problems and the lack of pre-send QCing sealed
the deal on my error.

(And, yes, I know I'm compounding the issue by mentioning this, but I
felt I had to explain. FUP-to set to mail. This aspect double checked.
E&OE.)
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

in article fetsob$6bl$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk, Len Oil at
lenoil DeleteThis @lenoil.demon.co.uk wrote on 14/10/2007 12:17 PM:

> Lesley Weston wrote:
>> DavidR.Sewell DeleteThis @gmail.com wrote on 13/10/2007 7:15 PM:
>>> Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
>>> mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:
>>>
>>> "How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
>>> the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
>>> it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."
>>
>> Yes, but Nabokov's characters fancied little girls.
>
> I don't know the character involved, or the author,

See, or rather read, "Lolita".

> but is there any
> reason why any such predilections in this latter world-view have a
> bearing upon the ability to judge ornithological aesthetics?

I wouldn't be surprised if their mothers wore army boots, too.
>
> (Off-group, for obvious reasons.)

You'll have to send this thread to afp, since my combination of system and
newsreader won't let me. Or we could let it drop, of course, but it looks
like it's going to develop nicely.

p.s. I think I can snarf'nbarf it, so it might appear one more time in both
places. Or not.

--
Lesley Weston.

Brightly_coloured_blob is real, but I don't often check even the few bits
that get through Yahoo's filters. To reach me, use leswes att shaw dott ca,
changing spelling and spacing as required.
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

"Lesley Weston" <brightly_coloured_blob.RemoveThis@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:C3379C6F.65148%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk...
> in article pan.2007.10.14.02.15.17.RemoveThis@gmail.com, David Sewell at
> DavidR.Sewell.RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote on 13/10/2007 7:15 PM:
>
> > On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 +0000, Lesley Weston wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> >> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're
> >> about the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched
> >> on a gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in
> >> Spring of standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of
> >> their red breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not
> >> only are they handsome, they are also good providers.
> >
> > Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
> > mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:
> >
> > "How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
> > the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
> > it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."
>
> Yes, but Nabokov's characters fancied little girls.
>

Only one did, surely.

Keith Edgerley
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog 

in article 471381bd$1_4@news.bluewin.ch, Keith Edgerley at
edgerley.kj.RemoveThis@bluewin.ch wrote on 15/10/2007 8:05 AM:

>
> "Lesley Weston" <brightly_coloured_blob.RemoveThis@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:C3379C6F.65148%brightly_coloured_blob@yahoo.co.uk...
>> in article pan.2007.10.14.02.15.17.RemoveThis@gmail.com, David Sewell at
>> DavidR.Sewell.RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote on 13/10/2007 7:15 PM:
>>
>>> On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 15:41:10 +0000, Lesley Weston wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>>> It was quite a shock when I first saw a North American robin. They're
>>>> about the size of a large thrush [1] and wouldn't be seen dead perched
>>>> on a gardener's boot. But the males do have a rather charming habit in
>>>> Spring of standing about with a beak-full of worms, making the most of
>>>> their red breasts and thus indicating to any passing female that not
>>>> only are they handsome, they are also good providers.
>>>
>>> Nabokov's character Kinbote in /Pale Fire/ (an emigre from a
>>> mythical northern European country) is less charitable about them:
>>>
>>> "How hard I found to fit the name 'robin' to the suburban impostor,
>>> the gross fowl, with its untidy dull-red livery and the revolting gusto
>>> it showed when consuming long, sad, passive worms."
>>
>> Yes, but Nabokov's characters fancied little girls.
>>
>
> Only one did, surely.

Two.

--
Lesley Weston.

Brightly_coloured_blob is real, but I don't often check even the few bits
that get through Yahoo's filters. To reach me, use leswes att shaw dott ca,
changing spelling and spacing as required.
 >> Stay informed about: Hedgehog