All of that commotion coming from the dwarf burning bush in the front yard of John Sinkovic’s Toledo home recently was not the result of a banditry of chickadees, a host of sparrows, or a chattering of starlings. No, this was a full-fledged, chaotic gathering of robins — whatever you call that.

Now, robins are not usually all that social, and they even get belligerently territorial for most of the year and can be seen sparring over their turf with other robins. These scuffles can sometimes get downright violent. But winter, with its harsh conditions, tends to temper their tantrums and, in the search for food, they become more agreeable and accepting of other robins.

What to call that unusual collection of this familiar member of the thrush family has stumped even some well-schooled birders. The consensus appears to be “a round of robins,” although the strong second-place “a breast of robins” has some appeal, as do the words blush, rabble, bobbin, and squabble — all used to describe a unique congregation of this usually cantankerous loner.

What was taking place at the Sinkovic residence, a regular winter fueling station for many species with its multiple feeders and wildlife savvy deed-holder, would seem to be an odd phenomenon, since the American robin is considered to be a seasonal visitor to the northern United States. It is expected to migrate south for the winter, like retirees, golfers, and sailboat racers. Even its scientific name — Turdus migratorius — strongly suggests this is a vagabond.

But as Sinkovic and many area bird watchers, bird-feeders, and Metroparks walkers have learned, not all robins make the trip. Some observers have assumed that what they are seeing are robins that have returned early from their winter grounds down south, but Tom Strohbeck from Titgemeier's Feed & Garden Center said these robins are very likely birds that never left our area in the first place.

“People are telling me they are seeing a lot of robins, and I have observed that myself, as well. I think it’s a case of more and more of them just staying over for the winter. If there is a food source, they will stay, so my best guess is that these birds are finding what they need to eat, so they never left,” he said.

What that round of robins was doing in Sinkovic’s front yard was dining on the fruit of the burning bush, a desirable treat for many birds. Crab apple trees are another very popular fly-in feeding station for our winter robins.

“That is where I see them most often, feeding on crab apples,” said Strohbeck. “And at this time of year, you will more than likely see them in big groups. They will find the food and tend to congregate there.”

Sinkovic, a Marine Corps vet, big game hunter, avid kayaker, and an aficionado of all things outdoors, said he first noticed one robin across the street from his home, but it disappeared a few minutes later. Not much time passed before he saw the family reunion in his burning bush, with robins perched throughout the branches, and others cleaning up the fruit on the ground.

Besides the multiple reports of gatherings of robins in the area, Strohbeck said visitors to Titgemeier’s have relayed accounts of pine siskin sightings. These tiny songbirds have a huge range that covers most of the North American continent, but are not common in these parts since they prefer forest habitat of coniferous trees, or a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees.

But like most of our feathered friends, pine siskins can’t resist an easy meal, so they will utilize feeders, especially those featuring thistle and nyjer seed. They also will pick the seeds from pine cones, both those still hanging on the trees and the ones scattered on the ground below. Pine siskins tend to make erratic migrations across the map, so sightings could be fairly common one year, and then quite rare the next.

The Midwest occupies the northern extent of the winter range of the white-crowned sparrow, so sightings at this time of year are fairly rare, but Strohbeck said one of these striking birds with a small bill and a long tail was sighted here recently. On close inspection, the bird has very bold black-and-white stripes on its head that give it a distinct look.

White-crowned sparrows prefer to perch in low, brushy habitat, and feed off the ground. They like sunflower seeds and will hop around below feeders, cleaning up what has fallen from above.

Another intriguing sighting in the area came from Steve Higgins at Williamsburg on the River. Higgins recently saw a large snowy owl fly across the lake, the first one of these Arctic natives that he has observed there. He also said a screech owl has taken up winter residence in a wood duck box nearby.

ELK BANQUET: The Northwest Ohio chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will hold its 22nd annual fund-raising banquet on March 19 at Holland Gardens. The doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets are available from Jim Maples at 419-535-6356. The evening includes raffles, auctions, and door prizes. Holland Gardens is located at 6530 Angola Rd. The mission of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife, and habitat. The nonprofit organization has raised millions of dollars to protect and enhance elk habitat and to restore elk to portions of its native range. It also educates the public on the topics of wildlife and habitat conservation, and the value of hunting and the hunting heritage.

Contact Blade outdoors editor Matt Markey at: mmarkey@theblade.com or 419-724-6068.

First Published February 12, 2016, 5:20 a.m.