Black-headed Grosbeak
The southwest sector will be of the most interest to visitors from the east. While marshlands are generally fewer here, there are still a few areas that attract large numbers of waterbirds. For the most part, all of the North Dakota prairie specialties can be found. The uniqueness of this area lies in its penchant for attracting western species which are marginal in the state.
Dickcissel
The infrequent water areas (including wooded river bottoms), the extensive sage prairies, the evergreen forests, and the arid badlands serve to attract species such as Cinnamon Teal, Prairie Falcon, Golden Eagle, Sage Grouse, Mountain Plover (accidental), Long-billed Curlew, California Gull, Burrowing Owl, Poor-will, Lewis’ Woodpecker, Say’s Phoebe, Western Pewee, Black-billed Magpie, Clark’s Nutcracker, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Mountain Bluebird, Townsend’s Solitaire, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (accidental), Black-headed and Blue Grosbeaks, Lazuli Bunting, Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, Brewer’s Sparrow, and McCown’s Longspur.
Although some of these species should not be expected by the visitor, the true degree of regularity of their occurrence is not really known because of the lack of observers in this area. If you have the spare time for exploring, do it here. Not only may you turn up an exciting western lifer for yourself, you may add to our knowledge of the status of certain marginal species as well.
a) [Burleigh] County
Water areas (especially large marshes) are relatively few in the southwestern sector. Probably the best of these is Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge. To reach it go south on Highway 83 (Exit 40) from I-94 for 12.0 miles before turning left (east) at the sign. Refuge roads lead around Long Lake and through some good marshes.
During migration, this is one of the best spots in the state. Some of the more interesting migrants are: Whistling Swan; Canada and Greater White-fronted Geese; Cinnamon Teal (rare); Common Goldeneye; Bufflehead; White-winged Scoter (rare); Hooded (rare), Red-breasted (rare), and Common Mergansers; Golden and Bald Eagles (uncommon); Peregrine Falcon (rare); Whooping (rare) and Sandhill Cranes; Semipalmated, Lesser Golden (rare), and Black-bellied (rare) Plovers; Ruddy Turnstone (rare); both yellowlegs; Hudsonian Godwit (rare); Sanderling (rare); Northern Phalarope; Solitary, Pectoral, Baird’s, White-rumped, Least, Stilt, and Semipalmated Sandpipers; Herring, California, and Bonaparte’s Gulls; Sprague’s Pipit; Le Conte’s (rare), Sharp-tailed (rare—may nest), and Harris’ Sparrows; and Lapland Longspur.
Although migration is the most exciting time, the refuge should not be by-passed in summer. Species to be seen then include Horned (uncommon), Eared, Western, and Pied-billed Grebes; American White Pelican; Double-crested Cormorant; Black-crowned Night Heron; American Bittern; Mallard; Gadwall; Common Pintail; Green-winged and Blue-winged Teals; American Wigeon; Northern Shoveler; Redhead; Canvasback; Lesser Scaup; Ruddy Duck; Swainson’s, Red-tailed, and Ferruginous Hawks; Northern Harrier; Sharp-tailed Grouse; Gray Partridge; Virginia Rail; Sora; American Coot; Piping Plover; Killdeer; Willet; Spotted and Upland Sandpipers; American Avocet; Wilson’s Phalarope; Ring-billed and Franklin’s Gulls; Common, Forster’s, and Black Terns; Short-eared Owl; Eastern and Western Kingbirds; all of the regular swallows; Marsh and Sedge Wrens; Loggerhead Shrike; Bobolink; Western Meadowlark; Yellow-headed, Red-winged, and Brewer’s Blackbirds; Dickcissel; Lark Bunting; Grasshopper and Baird’s Sparrows; and Chestnut-collared Longspur.