Another area which is often good is McKenzie Slough. To reach it take Exit #39 off I-94, and go south through McKenzie. The slough begins just south of the town. When water levels are high enough, the following nesting species can be expected: American Bittern, Mallard, Common Pintail, Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Ruddy Duck, American Coot, Pied-billed and Eared Grebes, Sora, Marsh Wren, Common Yellowthroat, and Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. During migration, this spot attracts many of the same species found at Long Lake. Chestnut-collared Longspurs nest in the pastures along this road (south of the slough).
The city of Bismarck (population 34,703) lies on the east side of the Missouri River in western Burleigh County. Not only is it the state capital, but also it contains a habitat unique in the region—Missouri River bottomland forest. At one time almost four hundred miles of this habitat could be found. It stretched from the South Dakota border in the south-central part of the state to the Montana border in the northwestern part. The construction of dams brought about the subsequent flooding of the bottomlands until the forests had been reduced to a 75-mile stretch between Bismarck and the Garrison Dam and a few miles from Lake Sakakawea to the Montana border. Much of what little remains is being cleared for housing and agriculture.
Nesting species found in this habitat include Red-tailed Hawk; American Kestrel; Wild Turkey; Mourning Dove; Black-billed Cuckoo; Great Horned Owl; Common Flicker; Red-headed, Hairy, and Downy Woodpeckers; Least Flycatcher; Black-capped Chickadee; White-breasted Nuthatch; Blue Jay; Black-billed Magpie; American Crow; House Wren; Brown Thrasher; Gray Catbird; American Robin; Veery; Eastern Bluebird (usually restricted to semi-open areas and adjacent fields); Cedar Waxwing; Red-eyed, Warbling, and Bell’s (rare) Vireos; Black-and-white (uncommon) and Yellow Warblers; Ovenbird; Yellow-breasted Chat; American Redstart; Orchard and Northern Orioles; Common Grackle; Brown-headed Cowbird; Scarlet Tanager (rare); Black-headed Grosbeak; Indigo (uncommon) and Lazuli Buntings; American Goldfinch (open areas); Rufous-sided Towhee; and Chipping, Clay-colored, Field (open areas), and Song Sparrows.
The woodlands bordering the Missouri River are the best places in the Bismarck vicinity to look for migrant passerines, such as Red-breasted Nuthatch; Brown Creeper; Hermit, Swainson’s, and Gray-cheeked Thrushes; Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; Black-and-white, Tennessee, Orange-crowned, Magnolia, Yellow-rumped, Blackpoll, Palm, and Wilson’s Warblers; Northern Waterthrush; Purple Finch; Northern Junco; and Harris’, White-crowned, White-throated, Fox, and Lincoln’s Sparrows. Birds to watch for in winter include Great Horned Owl, Common Flicker, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Blue Jay, Black-billed Magpie (semi-open areas and margins), Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Northern Junco, and American Tree Sparrow (open areas). Both species of waxwings can be found in most years as well.
SIBLEY ISLAND
Typical bottomland habitat can be found near Sibley Island. To reach it start at the Bismarck Airport on the road to the terminal and drive south on Highway 1804 for 2.1 miles. Turn right (west) on a surfaced road. After 0.5 mile you have a choice of continuing straight (west) or turning left (south). To reach the best habitat, turn left and follow the road as it swings to the left. Go 2.2 miles (.5 mile past the bend) and turn right at the sign to the Girl Scout camp.
The road passes through excellent bottomland habitat. This consists mostly of cottonwood, green ash, box elder, and to a lesser extent American elm and bur oak. The understory, which is thick in some areas, includes Wood’s rose, red-osier dogwood, snowberry, bittersweet, and wild grape.
After birding around the camp, drive all the way to the river. From the high banks you will have a good vantage point from which to look over the sandbars for the area’s three specialties—Piping Plovers, Little Terns, and skinny-dippers. The latter species, although cosmopolitan in range, is quite rare in North Dakota. (When present they are “hard to miss”.)
The Piping Plover can sometimes be found in good numbers. This is one of the best areas in the state for them. Likewise, this stretch of the river is the only known nesting site for the Little Tern in North Dakota. When looking for them, remember that their locations vary from year to year, depending on the sandbars. The best way to find them is to check as many points along the river as possible. A spotting scope would be very useful in looking for all three aforementioned species.