A Birder's Guide to North Dakota

by Kevin J. Zimmer

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.

KELLY’S SLOUGH

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.

After checking the stockpond, walk north across the open field, watching for Sharp-tailed Grouse, Upland Sandpiper, Western Meadowlark, Grasshopper and Clay-colored Sparrows, and Chestnut-collared Longspur. At dawn check any rises in the field for dancing grouse. During late summer and early fall look for Sprague’s Pipit. This species is rare here but occasionally passes through after breeding. At the north end of this field is a large stock pen. This marks the end of the area which can be walked.

Return to your car, drive 1.0 mile south, and turn left (east). For the next few miles, check all of the grassy/brushy fields for Sharp-tailed Grouse and Gray Partridge. The partridge may be seen almost anywhere, but the grouse is restricted to a few overgrown fields. Some fields have sunflowers, which may attract a number of winter birds (basically goldfinches, siskins, redpolls, and Northern Shrike).

There are several great spots near Grand Forks. The best is Kelly’s Slough. To get to it proceed to the underpass of I-29, go west on Highway 2 for 7.8 miles, and turn right (north). After 3.3 miles stop on the hill overlooking the slough.

This is a fantastic place for migrant waterfowl, waders, and shorebirds. Some of the migrants include Common (occasional) and Red-throated (accidental) Loons; Red-necked (uncommon), Horned, Eared, and Western Grebes; American White Pelican; Double-crested Cormorant; Great Egret (rare); Whistling Swan; Canada, Greater White-fronted, and Snow Geese; Common, Red-breasted (rare), and Hooded (rare) Mergansers; White-winged Scoter (rare); Redhead; Canvasback; Ring-necked Duck; Lesser and Greater (rare) Scaup; Common Goldeneye; Bufflehead; Oldsquaw (rare); Mallard; American Black Duck (rare); Gadwall; American Wigeon; Common Pintail; Green-winged and Blue-winged Teals; Northern Shoveler; Wood Duck; Semipalmated, Black-bellied, and Lesser Golden Plovers; Ruddy Turnstone; Common Snipe; Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs; Solitary, Pectoral, White-rumped, Baird’s, Least, Stilt, and Semipalmated Sandpipers; Dunlin; Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers; Hudsonian Godwit; Sanderling; Northern Phalarope; and Herring (uncommon) and Bonaparte’s (rare) Gulls.

Summer residents are much fewer, but many of the transient species are present from mid-summer on. Birds found throughout the summer include Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, American Bittern, Ruddy Duck, Sora, American Coot, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Wilson’s Phalarope, Franklin’s and Ring-billed Gulls, Black Tern, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, and Le Conte’s Sparrow.

For best results bird the slough on both the east and west sides of the road. The area to the east is better for rails, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, and Le Conte’s Sparrows, because there is more emergent vegetation. In fact, the grassy perimeter to the east end of the slough is full of Marsh Wrens and Le Conte’s Sparrows. You may have to wade a bit to get good views, but the water is only a few inches deep throughout most of this grassy area. A walk along the railroad tracks north of the slough may turn up Gray Partridge, Upland Sandpiper, and Chestnut-collared Longspur. In fall watch for Lapland Longspurs along the tracks and over the slough.