Rose-breasted Grosbeaks Eating Flowers

Rose-breasted Grosbeak on a Chilly Spring Morning

I've seen lots of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks in my yard this spring - jostling with the orioles at the grape jelly feeders, learning from woodpeckers how to access peanut butter suet at the wire cages and intimidating the American Goldfinches at the sunflower tubes.  But I've never seen them eating gooseberry flowers - until this morning.

It was relatively chilly when I drove down Rustic Road 107 near Meridean.  Not much bird activity - but lots of mosquitoes.  I stopped the Prius when I noticed some shaking going on in the gooseberry shrubs.  At first I thought it might be a skulking Catbird going after insects.  But no, it was a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and he wasn't going after any bugs.  He was tearing the flowers off and gluttonously eating them!