Breeding Birds

Minnesota is in the second year of a five year breeding bird atlas. Most of the states to our east have already done their breeding bird atlases. Several states have completed the atlas twice already. This means Minnesota is a little bit behind the times. After viewing the book with the results of the Wisconsin breeding bird atlas, I was charged up to participate. I went to the breeding bird atlas website and saw that the block where I live was a priority block (northeast quadrant of each plat) and was available. I requested to own my block and I got it. I am very excited to be a part of this important project; but also intimidated. Today I had a chance to meet other birders and look for evidence of breeding birds and document our findings together . It was a chance to ask questions and see how other people participate. We met at French Regional Park in Plymouth. I found quiet roads to bike over there. We had four people looking for birds. Two of the birders were experts - especially at bird sounds. We listened. One guy said he heard a rose breasted grossbeak and wood ducks. "You gotta be kidding," I said like an amateur, "I couldn't hear anything over the sound of that America toad." Today we saw gnat catchers, mourning doves, rose-breasted grossbeaks, tree swallows, barn swallows, white throated sparrow, red winged blackbirds, Canadian geese, mallards, killdeer, spotted sandpiper, wood ducks, robins, a coopers hawk, and a flock of pelicans. Most of these we marked "o" for the breeding evidence code. O stands for observed, meaning we saw that bird. Several we marked X for heard or seen within safe dates in a suitable nesting habitat. Safe dates vary for each bird according to the times they usually breed. Here are the other codes. M is for multiple (5+) singing or territorial birds seen on the same day. S is for singing male present at same location 7 or more days apart. P is for pair observed in suitable nesting habitat within safe dates. T if for permanent breeding territory presumed through defense by fighting or chasing individuals of same species. C is for courtship or copulation, includes displays or transfer of food. N if for bird observed visiting probable nest site repeatedly. A is for agitated behavior or anxiety calls from adults. CN is for adult carrying nesting materials (nest not seen). NB is for nest building observed (nest seen). DD is for distraction display behavior; broken wing display or dive-bombing. UN is for used nest (inactive nests; must be readily identifiable). ON is for occupied nest; nest attended by adult but contents not visible. FL is for recently fledged young, incapable of sustained flight. FY Adult carrying food for young or feeding recently fledged young (repeatedly in same direction). FS is adult carrying fecal sac. NE is for nest with eggs. And lastly NY is for nest with young seen or heard. As we walked along, we were told what to watch for. We saw a bunch of barn swallows under a bridge. This would be a spot to come back to in a couple weeks to see if they had started building their nests. We saw spotted sandpipers on a public swimming beach. Obviously they are not going to nest in such a public spot but it would be a good idea to come back and explore less occupied parts of the shore. As we walked along, we can to a wetland with open water. In the center was a small island where one goose sat with a dozen turtles. One turtle was a common painted turtle. The others were smooth soft shelled turtles; big ones too. Several were at least a foot long. I had never seen soft shelled turtles before. These people I was with were bird AND turtle experts. The French regional park is a beautiful place. The wind was strong sometimes but smelled of apple blossoms. After an hour or so of listening and asking questions. I have much more confidence in surveying my block for the breeding bird atlas.