IBRC 31-B-10
IDAHO BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE
RARE BIRD REPORT FORM
SPECIES:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
HOW MANY:
1 Male Adult
REPORTER:
Peggy Wyman
4675 E Silver Spur Ct
Idaho Falls, ID 83406
(208) 899-8170 Home
(208) 206-1589
REPORTER EMAIL:
peggywyman@gmail.com
OTHER OBSERVERS:
Marya Moosman (208) 354-2481 first saw the bird briefly at her feeder on 5/28/2010 while I was talking to her on the phone. I arrived in Driggs that evening (about 6 p.m.) and observed the bird.
DATE REPORT PREPARED:
6/5/2010
DATE SIGHTING OCCURRED:
May 28, 2010
LOCALITY OF OBSERVATION:
2195 S Stateline Rd
Driggs, Idaho 83422
HABITAT:
Backyard Feeder, large trees nearby
CONDITIONS:
I sat in my car in the driveway in good view of several feeders and nearby trees for 2 hours. I first saw him after about 45 minutes, then watched him come and go for another hour. I was about 30-40 feet away using Nikon Monarch 8x42 binoculars. It was overcast and raining much of the time. Temperature was probably around 50 degrees.
DID YOU TAKE NOTES?:
No, not at all
DID YOU CONSULT FIELD GUIDE OR OTHER REFERENCES?:
Yes, during the observation
WHAT GUIDE(S) OR REFERENCE(S) DID YOU CONSULT?:
National Geographic Society Birds of North America, Second Edition, 1987
DESCRIPTION:
Grosbeak
Very large, thick, light colored beak
All black head and back
Rose red triangle on breast and rose under wings
White on underbelly
BEHAVIOR:
He landed on the feeders and ate sunflower seeds. There were many Black-headed Grosbeaks and other birds (finches, chickadees, etc) at the feeders also. I did not actually notice any specific interactions.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU POSITIVELY IDENTIFY THE BIRD, AND WHAT CLINCHED THE IDENTIFICATION FOR YOU?
It is such a distinctive bird, my sister had already seen it and told me it was there, so I had looked it up in my book before I arrived in Driggs. The rose colored triange on the breast was the real clincher and the rose color on its wings. The all black head also confirmed it.
HOW DID YOU ELIMINATE SIMILAR SPECIES, AND WHAT WERE THEY?
I eliminated Black-headed Grosbeaks because of the orange stripe around the back of the neck and the orange breast/belly. It was so distinct I really didn't ever think it was any other bird.
EXPERIENCE WITH THIS SPECIES (AND SIMILAR SPECIES):
This was my first sighting of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I have seen many Black-headed Grosbeaks both in California where I recently lived and in Idaho growing up.
GENERAL BIRDING EXPERIENCE:
I have been birding for over 40 years, since I was a pre-teen. I am quite competent.
WERE PHOTO(S), VIDEO, AND/OR AUDIO OBTAINED BY YOU?: Photo
Photographer: Peggy Wyman
Picture of a Male Adult Rose-breasted
Grosbeak
May 28, 2010 (between 6:45-7:45 p.m.)
I used a Canon PowerShot SD790 IS Digital ELPH camera. I took the feeder picture during a rain storm through the windshield of my car between the windshield wipers going back and forth! The tree pictures were taken from the open window of my car. The pictures were taken with the camera zoomed to 12x power.
