Rose-breasted Grosbeak Crazyness
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Today I headed over to a local elementary school and did a mini banding demo for some 2nd and 3rd graders. This was a very fun day with 30+ kids who were excited about birds and I was sooo happy to catch a Rose-breasted Grosbeak for them. This is a hatch year (born this year) Rose-breasted Grosbeak who is in its basic (winter) plumage. The red/yellow on the under wing coverts is the easiest way to determine the sex of the bird. Males have red and females have the yellow on their under wing covert. I just love the berry mess on this birds bill.
Love all of the colors in this shot!
The kids were such a wonderful group and I just loved how enthused they were over this Grosbeak. This was part of an after school “birding” class where they learn about birds, take care of 3 bird feeders on school property and just have fun talking about birds. I wish I could give this school an award for excellence . . . . because they truly deserve it for their wonderful programs that they do (great work Linda and everyone else)!!
The Happy 2nd and 3rd Graders (Ya, and me): Photo by Linda O
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
Such a great “outreach” to work with and share your enthusiasm with kids of this age. So much of our appreciation is formed during those tender years, by age 8 or so–that what they gain from you, they will hold onto for life.
They’ll become the next generation’s caretakers of the earth.
(yummy berry bills)
3 October 2007 at 9:42 pm
The color is fantastic in this Tom, great shot, wish we had a program here like that for my son and his classmates.
3 October 2007 at 9:49 pm
That is so cool you work teaching kids about birds. You have to be patient to do that, and I admire you for that. To many adults ignore kids. The Grosbeak is so pretty. Guess what I saw yesterday? 4 American White Pelicans all at the same spot on a sand flat at Rend Lake. It was so amazing, I went to reach for my camera and I had forgotten it at home. I was so bummed out. ~nita~
3 October 2007 at 9:52 pm
Awesome that you are promoting birds to the young ones! Keep up the good work!
3 October 2007 at 11:13 pm
What a great experience all the way around, except maybe for the Grosbeak. It lloks so small in your hand and so large at my feeders.
4 October 2007 at 1:07 am
That is the Best thimg to do. Take it to them so they can have an experience that they may never have the chance again. Kids are the future and I feel also that it is Best to teach them early aboput Nature!
Good Work Tom!!!
4 October 2007 at 1:20 am
Thanks Tom. It truly was a wonder-full day. I agree with all your readers that it is best to teach them early. And what a thrill and honor it is for me to be a part of it. These kids are our future! LOB
4 October 2007 at 5:47 am
What a great experience passing on your love and knowledge of the birds to these future birders. Love that “first winter” male too. Looks like he found the berry mother load! :c)
4 October 2007 at 6:49 am
If you win over children at this age, they will love nature for life. There isn’t a bored or disinterested face in the group. You are a hero, Tom.
4 October 2007 at 7:36 am
Nina’s right, like all teachers, you help set appreciation for the world around students — as the wise chinese saying goes ,” as the twig is bent,so grows the tree”.
In your case ,you have our glorious birds — and plants,animals,insects,etc. too — to help reinforce or introduce to young,impressionable minds, the excitment and wonder of our natural world. Lucky you !!!
4 October 2007 at 7:54 am
Wow, you really do get involved in some cool educational outreach activities. And I’ve never actually been to a banding station before – I’m jealous.
Fun stuff!
4 October 2007 at 9:08 am
Those kids look so happy. Great photo! I love the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The straight-on shot with all the color is my favorite.
4 October 2007 at 10:27 am
Awesome head on picture of the grosbeak, the red under his wing is such a brilliant hue! The kids look so excited, great job!
4 October 2007 at 11:00 am
Oh how cool is that. Wonderful for the kids.
I just came back from banding at PI this morning.
I know I felt just like those kids.
4 October 2007 at 12:18 pm
@ Nina – thanks and I agree that early age is important for our future caretakers! Although, 10 years old is an easier age for “me” to start working with the kids!
@ Bernie – thanks and look around . . . . I bet there are many great programs in your area that you can get him involved in.
@ nita – thanks and the teachers from the school who set all this up are the ones who deserve the credit. I am just the middle man catching the birdies with them. Sweet, White Pelicans . . .would be a lifer for me!
@ Veery – too bad we could see all kids learning about birds at that age!
@ Barb – thanks and it was doing fine! Grosbeaks are very hardy birds and quickly went off on its way after we released. I was just glad to have caught something for them.
@ Garth – thanks and some places now days are hard to get out to remote locations . . . lucky I have a good inside person to work with . . . so I am willing to go to them.
@ Linda – thanks and you do such a wonderful job with them! I am glad they have the chance to learn from you!
@ Jayne – thanks and I sure hope they are future birders! I placed the nets right around all the berries! 🙂
@ Ruth – I sure hope they do love nature for life and help with many of our future problems! The teachers are the hero’s, I am just a tool to help them do their job!
@ cestoady – thanks and love that quote. Thanks and I hope we all are able to do it in our own ways! Even if its through our blogs! That’s what I hope is happening with me! Kids seeing other kids learning about birds and realize that just maybe birds are cool to learn about. So many have pier pressures now days!
@ Dan – anything nature related in teaching “anyone” about nature is where I try to be! only wish I could do more of it! But do have to pay the bills once and a while!
@ Erie – I was soo excited myself to have that Rose-breasted Grosbeak!! Not sure who was more excited . . . . Me or the kids!
@ Chicago Nature Lady – Thanks my friend (you know why) and I two love this birds colors! So brilliantly bright but then dull if it wanted to be! No wonder I have been having a hard time finding them.
@ Toni – how amazing and I sure hope you will be blogging about your visit their? Will check out you site tonight sometime!
4 October 2007 at 1:10 pm
I’m glad you caught something so pretty for them. I love the males in summmer plumage.
4 October 2007 at 6:11 pm
Awww…You have a beautiful blog…Love the photo’s..all of them!! I found your link while posting a comment at Q’s …I just posted some Monarch photo’s a couple days ago…& seeing your name…caught my eye…
I have enjoyed my first visit to your blog, if it is ok, I would like to add you to my fav. links..so I will remember to visit again often!
Thanks for sharing all your endeavors with nature!
Cat
4 October 2007 at 7:16 pm
Aw that’s my favourite working with the kids! Cool Grosbeak berry beak shot!
5 October 2007 at 9:18 am
Awww, Tom. Those kids will never forget you or the experience they had. It’s very special.
What a colorful bird as shown in that fabulous second photo! Bravo!
5 October 2007 at 12:41 pm
@ Grace – I guess if I would only be catching one bird, its good it was a grosbeak! but those waxwings would have been nice!
@ Catherine – So glad you visited and glad you enjoy my site! thanks for your kind words!
@ marg – sure is fun for sure! thanks!
@ Mary – thanks and I sure hope they don’t forget! It’s funny the 3rd graders that attended last year remembered the few bird species that we had (and I had to try to remember which ones we had). I think that is a good sign!
5 October 2007 at 12:49 pm