ROBINS: Shirley Goodman called March 6 to tell us she’s been seeing robins on the grounds outside Chapel Ridge.

As temperatures plummeted Monday, the robins may have been wondering what they’ve done. But robins are a harbinger of spring and warmer temps are on the way again.

Shirley reminds folks to leave peanut butter out for the seasonal returnees.

‘I used to leave peanut butter out for them when I lived in my house,’ she says. ‘They love it.’

They do. The folks at Birds and Blooms, birding experts Kenn and Kimberly Kaufman, say, ‘Peanut butter is a good high-fat, high-protein food, and as long as you offer it with proper care, it’s safe to feed to wild birds. Offer it in a special peanut butter feeder or simply smear it on tree bark. Just be aware that it may stain that area on some trees. If you offer it in a feeder, be sure to keep the feeder clean and free from mold. In summer or in warmer climates, put peanut butter out in smaller quantities to keep it from turning rancid.’

If you are buying it just for birds, look for the natural or organic types with the fewest additives. Crunchy peanut butter can be an ‘extra nutty treat’ for the birds, too, the experts say.

Put peanut butter in your homemade suet mix, smear it on tree bark or spread it on pine cones and dip them in bird seed.

Woodpeckers, nuthatches and blue jays love the treat, too. Robins also eat insects, worms, seed, fruits and nuts in the wild. They are particularly good at controlling insect populations in yards.

If you are ever curious about the migration patterns for critters, there’s a website called journeynorth.org that gives some neat information about several different species. The site, by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, relies on tips from the public to track birds and butterflies.