Part 12

If there are not many birds moving, try a Common Screech-owl imitation or tape. You may be surrounded by complaining birds in a matter of minutes. Remember to watch the lake for Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye, all of which nest in the area.

After finishing the park, return to the main road and continue to the left around the lake. After 2.1 miles turn left (east) on Highway East 43 toward the Peace Gardens. Go 4.4 miles; turn right at the sign pointing to Pelican-Sandy Lakes Primitive Recreation Area. This road goes into the forest for 1.0 mile to an undeveloped area with primitive campsites. There is plenty of suitable habitat, so you should be able to find most of the birds that you found at the park, or any you missed. In summer this area will probably be less crowded, as well.

c) Rolette County

Willow Lake National Wildlife Refuge is often productive. To reach it continue east on Highway East 43 from the turn-off to Pelican-Sandy Lakes Primitive Recreation Area. After 3.1 miles you will cross the Rolette County line, which is marked. Go another mile, and turn right (south). The lake is 1.6 miles ahead on the left. The main attraction is the colony of Double-crested Cormorants. However, watch for Common Loon, grebes, American White Pelican (visitor), Great Blue Heron, and several species of waterfowl.

After checking the lake, backtrack to Highway 43 and head east for about 13 miles to the Wakopa State Game Management Area. (It may also be reached by going 0.5 mile north and 8 miles west from the town of St. John.)

This area is relatively undisturbed, and the birding is great. There are even walking trails. All of the birds common to the Turtle Mountains can be found, and this just might be the best place to look for them.

As is the case across the rest of the state, the Turtle Mountains do not offer a great diversity of winter birds. There are, however, some interesting possibilities. The large amount of well-wooded habitat combined with a geographic position on the Canada border makes the mountains a definite attraction to several rare but exciting northern birds such as Hawk, Great Gray, Boreal, and Saw-whet Owls; Northern Raven; Gray Jay; Boreal Chickadee (accidental); and White-winged Crossbill. Although the chances of finding any of these birds on any given day are slim, the potential is there. Some may be more regular than is currently thought, because not enough people bird this area in winter.

Some of the more regular winter visitors and residents here include Ruffed and Sharp-tailed Grouse; Gray Partridge; Mourning Dove; Great Horned, Snowy, Long-eared, and Short-eared Owls; Common Flicker; Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers; Horned Lark; Blue Jay; Black-billed Magpie; Black-capped Chickadee; White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches; Brown Creeper; Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings; European Starling; House Sparrow; Evening and Pine Grosbeaks; Purple Finch; Pine Siskin; American Goldfinch; Common and Hoary Redpolls; Red Crossbill; and Snow Bunting. Of course, you will be doing well to find half of these species on any given trip, because many of them are decidedly cyclic in their wanderings.

Just as there is no one spot to go in the Turtle Mountains to find all of the summer residents, there is no one place to be recommended for winter. Both Lake Metigoshe State Park and Pelican-Sandy Lakes Primitive Recreation Area are good if road conditions allow entry. Usually, you will come out ahead by following the plowed roads and the good habitat.

d) Cavalier County

Rush Lake, a large marsh encompassing several thousand acres, is ideal for viewing waterfowl, shorebirds, and marsh species. To reach it drive 4.0 miles west from Wales to a point surrounded by marshy inlets and water-filled ditches. You can drive as far as road conditions permit.

Although there is little open water, you should have excellent birding from spring through fall. Some of the birds to watch for are Pied-billed and Eared Grebes; all of the ducks common to the state; Great Blue Heron; Black-crowned Night Heron; American Bittern; Green Heron; Sora; Virginia Rail; American Coot; Killdeer; Semipalmated, Lesser Golden, and Black-bellied Plovers; Ruddy Turnstone; Common Snipe; Willet; Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs; Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers; Spotted, Solitary, Stilt, Pectoral, White-rumped, Baird’s, Least, Semipalmated, and Western (rare) Sandpipers; Dunlin; Sanderling; Marbled and Hudsonian Godwits; American Avocet; Wilson’s and Northern Phalaropes; Ring-billed and Franklin’s Gulls; Forster’s, Common, and Black Terns; all of the state’s swallows; Marsh and Sedge Wrens; Common Yellowthroat; Yellow-headed and Red-winged Blackbirds; and Le Conte’s and Sharp-tailed Sparrows. Most of the shorebirds appear only as transients, even though many may be seen throughout the summer.

e) Pembina County

The northeast sector contains many well-wooded areas. The Turtle Mountains probably represent the best of these in terms of birdlife; however, a similar avifauna can be found in the Pembina Hills, which lie predominantly in eastern Cavalier County and western Pembina County. The major habitat is upland, deciduous forest, with bur oak, American elm, quaking aspen, birch, and box elder being some of the predominant trees. Birding the Pembina Hills is like birding the Turtle Mountains. It is hard to pick out specific spots because there is so much good habitat.

Most of the birds occurring in the Pembina Hills can also be found in the deltaic sand area in western Pembina County (situated between the Pembina and Tongue Rivers). There are many excellent sites.

For the sake of convenience, although not technically correct, all statements concerning the Pembina Hills made in the following Specialties Section refer to the area in general including the deltaic sand area.

The best spot for finding species typical of the Pembina Hills is the Tongue River Game Management Area. To reach it start at the western of the two intersections of State Highways 5 and 32, and head north on Highway 32. Turn right (4.0 miles) and continue east to the area. After 2.5 miles you will enter the heavily forested zone. The crisscrossing auto trails allow good access.

This is a fantastic place. You may even find some Moose, which have moved into this area in the past few years. Some of the summer residents are Cooper’s, Red-tailed, and Broad-winged Hawks; Ruffed Grouse; Black-billed Cuckoo; Great Horned Owl; Ruby-throated Hummingbird; Belted Kingfisher (along the river); Common Flicker; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers; Great Crested, Willow, and Least Flycatchers; Eastern Pewee; Blue Jay; American Crow; Black-capped Chickadee; White-breasted Nuthatch; House Wren; Gray Catbird; Brown Thrasher; American Robin; Veery; Cedar Waxwing; Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos; Black-and-white, Yellow, and Mourning Warblers; Ovenbird; Northern Waterthrush; American Redstart; Northern Oriole; Scarlet Tanager; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Indigo Bunting; American Goldfinch; Rufous-sided Towhee; and Chipping and Song Sparrows.

In addition to the nesting species, this area attracts a number of migrants. All species listed for the wooded areas of J. Clark Salyer may also be found here. However, several of the eastern warblers (such as the Magnolia, Cape May, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, and Connecticut) may be easier to find at Tongue River.

Another good locale is the Gunlogson Arboretum. To reach it start at the western edge of Cavalier, go west on State Highway 5 for 5.4 miles, and turn right. The arboretum contains several diverse plant and animal communities. Most are crossed by the nature trail that leads to a small marshy area, several small springs, and a portion of the Tongue River. All of this is surrounded by an impressive array of trees that include willows, ironwood, alder, elm, oak, ash, and basswood and a lush understory of ferns, grapevines, and wildflowers.

From the standpoint of habitat and fewer people, the birding is usually better at the arboretum, but Icelandic State Park is good for migrants. To reach it continue west on Highway 5 for 0.4 mile and turn right (north) at the sign.

The Pembina Hills are good also for all of the regular winter species plus an occasional northern stray such as Northern Raven; Hawk, Great Gray, Boreal, and Saw-whet Owls; Northern Shrike; and Gray Jay. Many of the roads are closed in winter. Care should be exercised when driving-conditions are not known.

f) Walsh County

Although the northeastern sector is loaded with marshlands, there are not many along the highly agricultural Red River Valley, which has been extensively cleared of forests and drained. A few good spots remain. One is Lake Ardoch, which can be reached by starting at U.S. Highway 81 on the northern edge of Minto and going east on County Road #15 toward Warsaw. After 3.4 miles turn right (south) on a gravel road. (It may not be passable in wet weather.) After 3.8 miles you will see the lake on the right.

Check for grebes, herons, and waterfowl. Walk the marshy areas on the left for Marsh and Sedge Wrens, and Le Conte’s Sparrow. Continue straight for another 2.2 miles and turn right on the paved road. In 0.2 mile a marshy inlet from the lake is on both sides of the road. Check here for migrant shorebirds. Continue for 1.8 miles to the junction with Highway 81, just north of the town of Ardoch.

g) Grand Forks County

There are only a few remnant populations of Greater Prairie Chickens left in North Dakota. Luckily, the State Fish and Game Department has managed to buy up most of the areas still frequented by them. Two spots are in Grand Forks County. Start at the northern side of Manvel (north of Grand Forks on U.S. Highway 81) and go west on County Road #33. To reach area number one, go 9.0 miles on County Road #33 and turn left (south). For the next 3.0 miles you will be crossing suitable sections of long-grass prairie. To find area number two, backtrack to County Road #33, cross the road, and go 5.0 miles north. Turn right and for the next 4 miles watch for the chickens. (This whole area should be marked by Game Management Area signs.) Dawn is the best time, although you may luck out and find them in the late afternoon just before sundown. Watch also for Sharp-tailed Grouse and Upland Sandpiper.

A good spot for grasslands birds is Kelly’s Pasture, a small prairie area west of Grand Forks. To get there start at the underpass of I-29, go west on Highway 2 for 5.7 miles, and turn left (south). Drive 4.0 miles and pull over to the right. There should be parallel fence rows (several yards apart) running to the west. Park and walk between the fence lines. Watch in this grassy area for Sedge Wren and Grasshopper, Le Conte’s, and Clay-colored Sparrows. After about 6.0 mile the fences will stop at a large grassy field. To your left (south) there should be a small stockpond surrounded by reeds. Check the edges for Marsh and Sedge Wrens and Le Conte’s Sparrow. Be careful at all times not to cross any fence lines on the left (south) side of the trail, because all are posted.