Photography, Nature

Twitterpated

The First Robins of Spring

I looked out of my kitchen window the other night and spotted a blush of robins. Yes, that is what a group of robins is called. How perfect is that for these red-breasted chattery birds? Although I’ve spotted a few random robins at the bird bath, this was the first gathering I’ve seen this year.

“Twitterpating” — I had not heard the word until yesterday, and I didn’t even think that it was a real word until I looked it up, although I thought it was a perfect description of the spring birds’ amorous antics. Don’t they look like a group of flirtatious teens trying to decide who is going to end up with whom? By the way, the three on the left are all males (darker heads), and the one on the right, who is holding court, is a female.

Urban Dictionary describes “twitterpated” as being swept off your feet by someone you quite fancy. As soon as I read that it originated from the 1942 film Bambi, I remembered this scene. I bet it jogs a memory for you too.

Friend Owl: “Yes. Nearly everybody gets Twitterpated in the springtime.

For example: You’re walking along, minding your own business. You’re looking neither to the left nor to the right…When all of a sudden, you run smack into a pretty face!

You begin to get weak in the knees. Your head’s in a whirl!

And then you feel light as a feather, and before you know it…you’re walking on air.

And then, you know what? You’re knocked for a loop!

And you completely lose your head!” Thumper: “Gosh, that’s awful.”

Flower: “Gee Whiz!” Bambi: “Terrible!”

Friend Owl: “And that ain’t all. It can happen to anybody. So you’d bet-ter be careful.

It could happen to You! And You!

After a bit of discussion, and little bath time, it seems as if they got it sorted out and these two ended up being the “twitterpated” pair.

We’ll see where it goes. I’m keeping my eye on the fountain for updates. I’m hoping that soon we might hear the chirping of a few more little robins joining the “blush” this spring.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, neurophilosopher, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

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Photos and story ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.