Robins, berries, Trustom

This is not the picture I wanted, but for reasons that remain a mystery, the local Robins were not cooperative about posing for a photograph that would capture the red-breasted birds in the act of starting to gorge on the local Holly berries. With Phil the Groundhog's epic prediction, we're solidly in the middle of winter, and that means the cold has softened and sweetened the Holly fruit enough to tempt the Robins. Often, when the birds start eating the berries, they don't stop until, after days in the same tree, they've completely devoured every last bit of fruit. I can observe from close-by without interrupting the feeding frenzy. But today, perhaps because the fruit isn't quite at the peak of edibility, the birds have spooked whenever I've approached, supertelephoto-equipped camera at the ready. This Robin, however, didn't go very far, and when the bird settled into a patch of briar berries, that was temptation enough—and a fine photo op.