May 2, 2007 I'm in southern California working. Today my mother, who is 90, called me to report a bird at her feeder that she had never seen before, and to ask for my help in identifying it. After her description, I settled in on rose-breasted grosbeak. "Two black and white birds with white blotches on their black wings, and red "throats." About the size of robins." Also the fact that they came to a feeder helped. Mom still lives in the house where I grew up (to whatever extent I ever actually grew up.) This is in Whitehall, an eastside suburb of Columbus. I don't recall ever seeing rose-breasted grosbeaks there before either. I asked her to get out a bird book and to look it up to confirm. She couldn't find the one she usually keeps handy, so she resorted to the bookshelf and pulled out an old Peterson guide from the early sixties. It was my own first field guide from my childhood, judging by the inscription inside the front cover (my ninth birthday, 1963) and the fact that it is falling apart (well used.) This reminded me of how she nurtured my youthful interest in the natural world, took me on bird walks at Blacklick Woods and Blendon Woods, as well as putting up feeders in our yard with its remnant emergent oaks and basswoods, and keeping the wild woodlot in the backyard natural. I am delighted when she calls with such questions. Thanks Mom! Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Hopewell Township, Muskingum County ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]