More Birds of Spring

Offspring #2 reports a Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird are inhabiting one of the three bluebird houses on the property. Awesome. I would be proud to share this property with a family of blue birds. I would be sure to report their nesting to the Breeding Bird Atlas because my yard is in the northeast (and most important) quadrant of the local plat. Anyone can contribute to the breeding bird atlas. Minnesota is the last state on the Mississippi flyway to catalog their breeding birds. We've agreed to do it between 2009 and 2014. Now is your chance to get involved in this important scientific endeavor. You can adopt a block but you don't have to. Just report your sightings of breeding birds. Evidence of breeding birds can vary from seeing one of a species, seeing a pair of species, seeing territorial displays, seeing birds carrying nesting materials in their beaks, seeing birds carrying food, seeing a nest, seeing a nest with eggs, and to seeing young hatchlings in the nest. Go to this website for more details: mnbba.org

On another bird of spring topic, yesterday I had to do some printing for a special project at work. I had to make 90 color reprints. I sent my printing to a distant printer - a Ricoh printer that can make color copies, scan, fax, and mince onions. For some reason, the copier insisted I confirm papersize and press continue for all 90 copies. I spent a lot of time sitting by this Ricoh printer pressing buttons and looking out at the parking lot. This Ricoh copier, unlike me, has a window with a nice view of the parking lot and the summer weather out there. As I was pushing buttons, I became aware of a bird sound. At first I thought I was hearing an actual bird. I was by the window after all. I had to think before I could identify the sound. I knew it was familiar. I knew it was a spring and summer bird. A light bulb went off - I was hearing the sound of a killdeer. This killdeer was making that noise it makes when you get too close to the eggs. Have you seen a killdeer pretent to be wounded by extending one wing and limping - trying to lead you away from the nest? That is what I was hearing. I listened closely. Althought it sounded JUST like a killdeer, it was the wheels and gears inside the Ricoh copier. This Ricoh copies paper and copies bird calls too.