Our small backyard has a small wooded ravine in the back and we have a
diverse set of feeders in the yard at the edge of the woods. We have
usually had several rose-breasted grosbeaks on our feeders annually during
may migration season. However, last year, we had two males (one full mature
and another first-year bird) and at least two females that decided to stay
for the breeding season. They were quite regular at the feeders, and in
July, we thought we had a young bird or two on the feeder, convincing us
that they had nested.

This year, to our delight, the grosbeaks decided to stick around again. We
have regularly had two males (again a full mature and a first-year male)
and at least one female on the feeders. We hear them singing happily up in
the canopy. Yesterday, I was very pleased to see a recently fledged bird
perched on top of the iron hanger that holds two feeders. He was begging
and the female grosbeak came several times and stuffed sunflower seeds in
its mouth. However, on closer inspection, we realized that fledgling was a
cowbird. That was disappointing!! I hope that this pair also has some
grosbeak young for their efforts. At least that proves they are nesting,
but the results so far are not what we wished.
Randy Rowe, Wooster

______________________________________________________________________

Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society.
Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php.
Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list.


You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at:
listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS
Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]