Right, let's get the boring bit out of the way first:
The European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), , known simply as the robin or robin redbreast in Great Britain and Ireland, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that belongs to the chat subfamily of the Old World flycatcher family.
I must admit that they are one of my favourite birds. Often while I'm working in the garden one will appear probably in the hope of finding a dug up worm. My mum was also a fan of robins and when one appears I like to think that she is paying me a visit.
To the songs. You will be familiar with the song Rockin' Robin sung by a very young Michael Jackson but you are not getting that. Rather here is the original version from 1958 by Bobby Day which topped the Billboard 100.
Karine Polwart is a great lover of birds and has already appeared in this series singing about the Wren. Today she is singing about The Robin from her album Laws of Motion.
It appears that Barbara and Brenda are not particular fans of our red breasted friends given that they caution that you should Never Love a Robin.
Who Killed Cock Robin ask The Silver Thread Trio. From the nursery rhyme there is a seemingly endless list of suspects. It seems that the Sparrow and the Bullfinch are the one's most in the frame.
More ornithological oddities next Friday.
Barbara and Brenda - Never Love a Robin
Silver Thread Trio - Who Killed Cock Robin
The sparrow was framed
ReplyDeleteThere was a robin that visited our garden through the winter and spring. Always made me think of Isaac- not that he'd choose to appear to us as a robin I don't think, but their association wit the dead popping by is established in my mind (as in yours too)
ReplyDeleteStrange but comforting
DeleteIt's a special thing to feel - I believe that many cultures have this thing about birds being connected to human souls in one way or another. And there's something about the way robins in particular relate to us individually - that look in the eye, that watching and following, that attempt to understand our behaviour, or so it seems (often the same with blackbirds). I know they're just after an easy meal really but what a pleasure it is.
DeleteThat's so resonant C. Recently a pair of blackbirds have been flitting around our garden, especially in the morning when I'm up making breakfast. They seem to have become since the robin disappeared. It's all so weird but comforting
DeleteSwiss Adam
It looks an open and shut case but can we trust a nursery rhyme? The only Robin I have is a 7" split single featuring Tunng - not worth dwelling on tbh. Other Robins you could have roped in were Trower, Sarstedt and Hitchcock albeit with a Y.
ReplyDelete