A great place for winter birding is the Northern Great Plains Research Station in Mandan. To reach it, continue west on Main Street past Highway 1806 and turn left after one mile on Highway 6 (8th Street Northwest). Cross the railroad trestle and continue on 10th Avenue Southwest for 0.8 mile to a bridge. Just beyond, turn right at the sign.
These grounds are good for winter birding because of the conifers. Look for all of the regular winter species and for invaders such as Cedar and Bohemian Waxwings, Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, Pine (rare) and Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills, and Golden-crowned Kinglets. The Townsend’s Solitaire, although rare, has been a fairly frequent visitor in recent years. The trees are good also for roosting owls. With luck, you may even turn up a Long-eared Owl.
c) [Dunn] County
DUNN COUNTY
Yet another location for migrant and nesting waterbirds is Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge. To reach it, start just south of the town of Killdeer at Highway 22, go east for 3.0 miles on Highway 200, and turn right at the sign.
Drive south through the mixed-grass prairie, which is good for Northern Harrier, Swainson’s Hawk, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Eastern and Western Kingbirds, Horned Lark, Lark Bunting, Lark and Grasshopper Sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspur. Turn left (2.0 miles) and bird until the road dead-ends at a farmhouse.
To bird the rest of the refuge, return to Highway 200 and head east again. Turn right (1.5 miles) toward the recreation area (just before the cemetery). After 0.3 mile the road forks. Go straight (keeping right) and follow the road as it heads to the lake and then makes a little square back to the road on which you entered. By taking this little loop you will get a good view of Lake Ilo. From this vantage point look for Common Loon (rare migrant), Western Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron (lake edges), Black-crowned Night Heron (lake edges), ducks and geese, and Sandhill and Whooping (rare) Cranes (migration—lake edges).
After taking the loop, turn right and drive 0.4 mile. Turn left and almost immediately swing to the right (at the fishing sign) and head toward the lake. Turn right at the sign pointing to the headquarters (0.5 mile). After 0.8 mile you may do three things: 1) turn right to the headquarters for information, 2) go straight for a different view of the lake, or 3) swing left to the slough.
The slough is the best area for birding. After swinging left, proceed for 0.8 mile, turn left, and drive for 1.1 miles past the entire marsh.