Robin: Harbinger of Spring

I saw a robin today. Right up front, on the sidewalk. That is semi-exciting as a harbinger of spring. I'll be a bit more excited when I see a dandelion bloom. Dandelions aren't so prone to misjudging the timing of spring in Iowa.

Tomorrow I can expect to see five robins now that the first one has appeared. In about a week we'll have snow again and I can expect to see dozens of robins. All walking around looking pissy.

It's as if they've gone on vacation thinking the weather will be nice, only to arrive in the Arctic. As if they lived in Maine and went south... to New Hampshire, expecting it to be warmer there. Too much hassle to fly back to where they came from so they stay and gut it out.
But they don't like it. If you've seen the photo of 'The Mad Bluebird' you know how peeved a bird can look.

The birdie body language of these too-early robins makes it clear what their birdie thoughts are: "Eeeewwww! Ick! What's a nice bird like me doing in this frozen hell called Iowa?"
They're probably hungry, which doesn't improve anyone's mood. There might be some box elder bugs available for snacks, but I've never seen a worm crawling around in the snow.

So they probably are entitled to their bad mood. The weather sucks, food is hard to find, they're not smarter than the food (happens to me all the time), all the nesting material is covered with snow, just a crappy deal all the way around.

Eventually the snow will melt and they will stop looking so peevish. Dandelions and violets will bloom and I will know it is truly, finally spring in this part of Iowa.