Robin-a-bobbin no more

 

Robin-a-bobbin no more

An Epitaph on a Robin-Redbreast

Samuel Rogers (1763-1855)

Tread lightly here, for here, ‘tis said,

When piping winds are hush’d around,

A small note wakes from underground,

Where now his tiny bones are laid.

No more in lone and leafless groves,

With ruffled wing and faded breast,

His friendless, homeless spirit roves;

Gone to the world where birds are blest!

Where never cat glides o’er the green,

Or school-boy’s giant form is seen;

But Love, and Joy, and smiling Spring

Inspire their little souls to sing!

Samuel Rogers was a celebrated poet in his lifetime, but his fame was surpassed in time by those of his friends, Wordsworth, Coleridge and Byron.

He had wished to become a Presbyterian minister and was a lifelong member of the Newington Green Unitarian congregation, one of England’s oldest Unitarian churches. His father persuaded him to follow him into banking.

On Friday evening, as we sat enjoying the warmth and the soft air from the garden, our peace was disturbed when Jellicoe shot through the open patio doors like a bat out of hell, to return with a small baby robin. He dropped it on the floor and did not growl when I picked it up, which is quite unusual. Normally, his catches are jealously guarded.

The little creature was still alive and not making any noise, so I took it outside and put it safely in a plant pot, hoping that it might survive and its parents would find it.

However, it died, probably of shock, as there were no marks on its body.

Robins are popularly known as Robin Redbreast, although the colour is more orange than red. Orange as a colour was not known until the 16^th century when the fruit of that name was first introduced to the British Isles. The name ‘Robin’, a diminutive of Robert, was assigned to the little bird in the 15^th century, at a time when giving names to familiar birds was a popular pastime. Thus we have Jenny Wren and Jack Daw among others.

Male and female robins dress alike and their young are brown speckled with gold. The red breasts develop during their first moult when they are two to three months old.

Though robins are sociable and friendly to gardeners, they are fiercely territorial and chase intruders away quite aggressively. Like dunnocks and great tits, they sing nearly all year round, and will often be stimulated to sing by the light from street lamps.