The Early Bird and the Worm
The other day, I made an early morning visit to West Beach in Deception Pass State Park. There is a short trail from the parking lot that heads over to the amphitheater and the beach on Deception Pass. I wanted to see how the bridge looked. On the trail, I ran into this fellow, an American Robin (Turdus migratorius) . I was surprised that he allowed me to get as close as I was without flying off. He wasn't even paying attention to me. Sometimes park critters become accustomed to having people around. Then I noticed why he was standing his ground. He was working on an earthworm for his breakfast. They are one of the annelids or segmented worms. From my observations, they are a favorite food of Robins. When I am planting or digging in the garden, the birds will gather in a perimeter around me. As soon as I leave, they will fly in to snatch the goodies I kicked out of the soil. They have learned to observe and exploit my behavior. Apparently, this Robin i