Breeding Bird Atlas Article

http://www.startribune.com/local/north/96727314.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU

The Star Tribune had a nice article today about the breeding bird atlas. As of today, I have confirmed 16 species in my priority block in Ramsey as breeding. Love is in the air!! Let me see if I can remember them all - Canadian Geese, Blue winged teal, wood duck, Eastern Bluebird, Crow, Blue Jay, Chickadee, Robin, Wild Turkey, Red tailed hawk, Barn Swallow, Killdeer, Great crested Flycatcher, Chipping Sparrow, and House Finch. I have lots of probables (sandhill crane, rock pigeon, mourning dove, ruby throated hummingbird, red bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, gray catbird, Northern Cardinal, Red winged blackbird, Baltimore oriole, American Goldfinch)and 35 more species observed. Confirming sixteen species as breeding is not the best but it's really not too shabby for a beginner like me. I want to do a good job on this project. What has helped me the most is talking to people who live in my priority block and asking them to keep their eyes open. Anyone can be a part of this project. If you don't want to adopt a priority block, you can still enter your observations. Go to MNBBA.ORG to get started. As for me, I am going to keep an eye on the east side of my house where I saw a pair of orioles attacking my local (Sharp shinned or Cooper's) hawk who was sitting in my oak tree next to the house. They struck the hawk's head until it gave up and flew off. Why did the orioles use their bodies to attack a hawk who could reach out and eat them? I'm thinking they must have a nest in my yard somewhere.