Part 3

The larger towns have many motels, especially along the interstates. There should be no problem in Bismarck-Mandan, Dickinson, Devils Lake, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Minot, Valley City, and Williston. These towns are distributed rather evenly over the state. Most of the smaller towns have at least one motel, but try to arrive early. Motels fill quickly in summer.

Campers will find plenty of spots. In addition to the commercial campgrounds, most of the state parks offer camp sites, and some are free. Both units of the Roosevelt Memorial have good campgrounds.

Following is a list of the state parks:

Fort Lincoln—all facilities, birding fair Lake Metigoshe—all facilities, birding excellent Lake Sakakawea—all facilities, little birding Turtle River—all facilities, birding good Beaver Lake—all facilities, birding fair Butte View—all facilities, little birding Fort Stevenson—all facilities, little birding Icelandic—all facilities, birding good Doyle Memorial—fireplaces, tables, water, little birding Little Missouri Bay—fireplaces, tables, water, birding good Streeter Memorial—fireplaces, tables, water, little birding Sully’s Creek—fireplaces, tables, water, birding good

SOME RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

1. Checklist of Birds in North Dakota—free—Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Box 1747, Jamestown, ND 58401. (The center has a wealth of other material.) 2. North Dakota Outdoors—official publication of the State Game and Fish Department, 2121 Lovett Avenue, Bismarck, ND 58505. Monthly, $2.00 per year. Single copies can be found on newstands at 25¢. 3. Breeding Birds of North Dakota (Stewart, 1975) ($18.50 plus postage)—Tri-College Center for Environmental Studies, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102. An exhaustive treatise; good section on habitats. 4. County maps—North Dakota State Highway Department, Capital Grounds, Bismarck, ND 58501. Expensive but very detailed. 5. Refuge checklists, brochures, and maps—free—contact each refuge. Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge—Edmunds, ND 58476 Audubon National Wildlife Refuge—Coleharbor, ND 58531 Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge—Kenmare, ND 58746 J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge—Upham, ND 58789 Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge—Moffit, ND 58560 Lostwood National Wildlife Refuge—Lostwood, ND 58754 Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge—Cayuga, ND 58013 Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge—Foxholm, ND 58738

FORMAT

The main purpose of this guide is to direct the out-of-state birder to the better spots, although it is hoped that the book will be of use to resident birders as well. An effort is made to list several good areas in different parts of the state, if possible, for each of the more sought-after species. The best spots are shown in bold-faced type. If you are in a hurry, stop only at these places.

Because of the large area, the state is split into four regions—Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, and Northeast. The regions are of approximately equal size and are divided, for the most part, along county lines without regard for habitat. A minimal time of 2 weeks is suggested to cover the entire state. Even then you will leave knowing that you have missed a lot.

In North Dakota the best shorebird spot is often not one mentioned, but rather a flooded field, which will be great one week and dry the next. In addition many species change their locations from year to year because of inconsistent water levels. It would be wise to check with refuge managers and local birders for up-to-the-minute information on desired species. The names and addresses of local birders can be obtained by checking the Christmas Bird Count for the local compiler or by consulting the American Birding Association Directory ($5.00—ABA Sales, Box 4335, Austin, TX 78765).

NOMENCLATURE

In 1973 the American Ornithologists Union (A.O.U.) published a supplement to its Checklist of North American Birds. This changed the current names and taxonomic status of many species. A number of birders have been in an uproar ever since, because many former species are dropped to sub-specific rank. The A.O.U. has further revised the checklist, with the promise of even more changes in the future. In addition, the American Birding Association published its own A.B.A. Checklist (Birds of Continental United States and Canada) in 1975. This follows the taxonomic order used by the A.O.U. but incorporates some entirely different names. Because the A.B.A. is the official “listing” organization, its nomenclature is followed in this book. However, some of the field guides currently in use do not yet reflect these name changes. The old names affecting North Dakota birds are included parenthetically below to avoid confusion for the beginner.

American White Pelican (White Pelican) Great Egret (Common Egret) Greater White-fronted Goose (White-fronted) Snow Goose (both Snow and Blue) American Black Duck (Black Duck) Common Pintail (Pintail) Eurasian Wigeon (European) American Wigeon (Widgeon) Northern Shoveler (Shoveler) Black Scoter (Common Scoter) Red-tailed Hawk (includes Harlan’s Hawk) Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) Merlin (Pigeon Hawk) American Kestrel (Sparrow Hawk) Lesser Golden Plover (American Golden Plover) Upland Sandpiper (Upland Plover) Red Knot (Knot) Little Tern (Least Tern) Common Screech-Owl (Screech Owl) Common Flicker (combines Gilded, Yellow-shafted, and Red-shafted) Willow Flycatcher (Traill’s, FITZ-bew race) Alder Flycatcher (Traill’s, fee-BEE-o-race) Eastern Pewee (Eastern Wood Pewee) Western Pewee (Western Wood Pewee) American Crow (Common Crow) Marsh Wren (Long-billed Marsh Wren) Sedge Wren (Short-billed Marsh Wren) Gray Catbird (Catbird) American Robin (Robin) European Starling (Starling) Northern Parula (Parula Warbler) Yellow-rumped Warbler (combines Audubon’s and Myrtle) Common Yellowthroat (Yellowthroat) Northern Oriole (combines Baltimore and Bullock’s) Northern Cardinal (Cardinal) Northern Junco (combines Oregon, Slate-colored, and White-winged) American Tree Sparrow (Tree Sparrow)

SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA

The southeast sector is probably the least glamorous as far as birders are concerned. It cannot offer the western specialties of the southwest nor the northern species of the northeast, and it does not have the reputation of the northwest for prairie species. Despite these deficits, the southeast quarter offers some of the best birding in the state.

Contained within its boundaries is some of the finest prairie-pothole habitat in the country. This is the breeding ground for thousands of ducks and other marsh species. Adjacent to the countless seasonal and permanent ponds are broad expanses of mixed-grass prairie, which support large numbers of Upland Sandpipers, Sprague’s Pipits, Baird’s Sparrows, Chestnut-collared Longspurs, and other prairie specialities of great interest to the birder.

This quarter also offers excellent bottomland habitat along portions of the Red, James, and Sheyenne Rivers. These floodplain forests support an avifauna typical of eastern deciduous forests, thus making it attractive to western birders. Large numbers of eastern warblers pass through during migration, and on good days one may find as many as twenty species (possibly more).

Marshlands in the southeast corner attract southern species, such as the Little Blue Heron and King Rail. All in all, the southeast sector offers a very diverse avifauna, and it should not be ignored by the visiting birder.

a) Cass County

The city of Fargo (population 53,000—largest in North Dakota) lies in the highly agricultural Red River Valley and is separated from Minnesota only by the river. Birds found here are basically eastern in nature.

The Red River and its adjacent woodlands act as a funnel for migrating passerines and provide food and cover in winter for the few species which decide to stick out the long period of cold weather. Because of this, wooded areas along the river are the most productive spots.

Probably the best place along the river is Lindenwood Park, which can be reached in several ways. Coming from the east, take Interstate 94 west from Moorhead, Minnesota. Turn right on the first exit after crossing into North Dakota. This leads onto South University Drive. Stay in the far right lane and turn right at the first signal light onto 18th Avenue South. Go one block to the park entrance.

Beyond the entrance, the road forks. The right leads through the park. The left (South Lindenwood Drive) follows the river for 0.8 mile and is usually better for birding, because it is less crowded and has a greater edge effect. South Lindenwood Drive is bordered in part on the left by a large grassy triangle and on the right by a good variety of trees and shrubs along the river.

Close to 175 species have been recorded here in the past ten years. Most of the birds are characteristic of the eastern deciduous forest. Exceptions include the Western Kingbird, Bobolink, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow. All of these can often be seen from May to July in the grassy triangle. In July the vegetation is cut, and the birds leave.

In migration the park is a mecca for flycatchers, thrushes, vireos, warblers, and sparrows. All of the eastern Empidonax flycatchers (except the Acadian) can be found regularly, as can the Olive-sided Flycatcher and Eastern Phoebe. All of the spot-breasted thrushes except the Wood Thrush may be seen in good numbers every spring, and even it manages to put in an appearance each year. Five species of vireos can be seen in spring, the best of which is the Philadelphia Vireo. Also occurring with regularity are twenty species of warblers, including Orange-crowned, Cape May, Bay-breasted, and Connecticut.

Of all the fringillids using the park in migration, the most sought-after is the Harris’ Sparrow. Fargo lies in its relatively narrow migratory range. It may be seen (both spring and fall) in good numbers at all parks in the area.

The following breeding species are shared with most other parks and wooded habitats in the area: Wood Duck; Black-billed Cuckoo; Mourning Dove; Great Horned Owl; Common Flicker; Red-headed, Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers; Great Crested and Least Flycatchers; Eastern Pewee; American Crow; Blue Jay; Black-capped Chickadee; White-breasted Nuthatch; House Wren; Gray Catbird; Brown Thrasher; Cedar Waxwing; Yellow-throated, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos; Yellow Warbler; Northern Oriole; Rose-breasted Grosbeak; Indigo Bunting; and Chipping and Song Sparrows.

In winter check for owls, waxwings (Bohemian is common some winters), grosbeaks (mainly Evening but some Pine), siskins, and crossbills (both species).